Regardless of your political leanings, we all want to make the world a better place. Still, it’s so easy to feel powerless. From global issues to local issues, problems seem impossibly big and completely unchangeable. Where do you even start?
Luckily, people experienced in the field have offered advice. “Rules for Revolutionaries,” authored by the senior advisers of Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, provides 22 rules for “Big Organizing” to magnify a small grassroots movement into a large force for social change. In a similar vein, “Road Map for Revolutionaries” offers practical advice on attending protests, calling your representatives and leveraging social media for a cause. The book also gets into the grittier aspects of activism, such as what to do if you are arrested or tear-gassed. The layout features helpful charts and graphics, which make it easy to get the information you need with a quick glance. Continue reading “Social Activism: Boone, Callaway and Beyond!”
Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 by patron reviewer
Editor’s note: This review was submitted by a library patron during the 2018 Adult Summer Reading program. We will continue to periodically share some of these reviews throughout the year.
In “Chemistry: A Novel” our protagonist is a bit troubled and carries a lot of baggage, but damn if she doesn’t also create a lively and compelling journey through a rather tumultuous period in her life. She is second-guessing her career choice and her relationship choice and yet she flits from moment to moment in a way that has us (her readers) celebrating all her thoughts. Eric, her longtime boyfriend is an almost flawless (at least in her eyes) partner, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they perfect for each other just now. She has been a science wiz kid all her life, but that doesn’t mean that chemistry is a perfect career path for her. Her parents have worked very hard and sacrificed a lot to provide her with an opportunity at the American Dream, but that doesn’t mean that she owes them everything.
None of these important decisions are easy for a young adult, and that’s on full display here. But what’s also on display is the character’s lively internal life that helps us understand that the “important decisions” don’t really define a life. Can someone be happy being a tutor instead of a PhD? Quite possibly. Does that diminished status make her mind any less active and valuable? I don’t think so.
Three words that describe this book: Introspective, Lively, Compelling
You might want to pick this book up if: You’ve ever questioned your career path and life choices. If you’ve ever had a “quarter-life crises.”
The setting of “Scribe” by Alyson Hagy is somewhere in the southeastern United States. The time that it takes place in is less clear. People are living in the wake of a civil war and an epidemic, both of which killed many and left the survivors damaged and uprooted.There is a government that operates in an autocratic manner, though their presence in the remote hills this story takes place seems limited. Locally the social order is dictated by the competing interests of a strongman and a family with control of a large amount of land. Travel is by foot or by horse. Goods and services are acquired through a barter economy. Continue reading “Know Your Dystopias: Scribe”
My butler says there are two types of people: those that clean and those that make messes. He believes the mess makers should learn from the cleaners. He gently broached the topic while I was having a corn-on-the-cob break. “Intriguing premise,” I hollered. I sat my cob on the ottoman my butler was nearly done shampooing. “I’m inclined to agree,” I said at a reasonable volume. I beckoned for the butter bucket. My butler fetched the bucket and prepared a fresh cob. “But how do we teach those messy folk?” Deep in thought, I scratched my chin with the cob and wiped my buttery hand on the carpet.
My butler sighed in agreement. “Perhaps you could read a book about tidying up.” He hurriedly added, “so that then you could share the message it conveys with those that need to hear it.” As an aside, he added that perhaps books about being self aware and improving one’s memory might also be of interest to me. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Jen Beagin”
Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 by Decimal Diver
Growing up can be challenging, and it can be tougher if you have to deal with autism. Seeing how others on the spectrum deal with triumphs and tribulations can help build confidence for both kids and their families. Check out these docs featuring kids with autism.
When 2-year-old Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson and his wife Kristin sought the best possible medical care, but traditional therapies had little effect. They discovered that Rowan has a profound affinity for animals, particularly horses, and the family set off on a quest that would change their lives forever. Continue reading “Growing Up on the Spectrum: Docs Featuring Kids With Autism”
I’m not sure I ever met someone who felt neutral toward poetry — most will feel strongly some type of way, likely a mixture of anxiety and disdain spurred by painful memories of English class. Or maybe absolute adoration causing them to burst into a melancholic recitation of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” from memory. Personally I’m no bard, but lately I’ve wanted to flex those muscles harder. Maybe it’s the residual resolution spirit of the new year. But where to start? What better place than the work of poets in my community?
There are a couple library happenings that got me interested in poetry written by Missourians in particular: Book Riot’s release of their 2019 Read Harder Challenge (see requirement 24 to read a recently published poetry collection) and Missouri’s first Poet Laureate Walter Bargen’s tour of the DBRL branches this quarter. Some of Missouri’s great poets have wide name recognition like Langston Hughes, Sara Teasdale, T.S. Eliot (who famously eschewed his Midwestern roots) and Maya Angelou, but I implore you all to look for poets even closer to home. Below you’ll find a number of local poets in our collection, ranging from Governor-appointed poets laureate to those in the Mizzou community and even DBRL staff. If you’re perusing in person, look for a purple sticker on the book spine which designates work by local authors. But first, a few tips for making poetry resonate with you: Continue reading “Read (Even) Harder With Contemporary Missouri Poets”
Start the new year right by picking up a book by one of these new fiction authors. There are plenty of options this month. And, as always, you can find a longer list of new titles in our catalog.
Left alone in Germany while her husband is fighting on the front lines of WWII, Rosa Sauer leaves Berlin seeking safety and is instead forced by the SS to become one of Hitler’s food tasters. Twice a day she accompanies nine other women to the Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s secret headquarters, where they taste all of Hitler’s meals before he does. As the war worsens, the group of tasters becomes increasing more fractious, dividing into those who are loyal to Hitler and those who, like Rosa, aren’t Nazis even though they risk their lives to protect one every day. Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: January 2019”
Some facets of American history are heavily romanticized, and some are unjustly forgotten. For example, mention of the Pony Express conjures images of daring men racing westward, braving the elements to deliver important messages and join the two coasts of America. In actuality, this male-driven, short-lived business venture lasted a mere 18 months and served only the wealthy. Infinitely cooler and yet barely remembered are the horseback librarians (know colloquially as “book women”) who braved long, treacherous mountain routes to deliver books to the poverty-stricken Appalachian community during the Great Depression. Continue reading “The Horseback Librarians of the Great Depression”
With the new year comes new librarian favorites! I’m excited to start this year on such a positive note with plenty of books. We have a trilogy-finisher, a long-awaited second novel and several heartwarming reads to protect you from the cold and snow outside. Check out these books nominated by librarians across the country with this month’s LibraryReads.
“A wonderfully dark and mysterious read. Something happens one stormy winter solstice evening that triggers a chain of events that changes the lives of all the main characters. Moody and mystical. For readers who love gothic fiction like ‘The Death of Mrs. Westaway‘ and ‘The Clockmaker’s Daughter.’” ~Melanie Liechty, Logan Library, Logan, UTContinue reading “January LibraryReads”
I harbor an extreme fondness for lists, both creating and reading them. Judging by the number of books on the topic, I know I have a lot of company.
Last year saw the publication of three noteworthy books containing suggested reading lists. “1,000 Books to Read Before You Die” is the product of decades of work. James Mustich, a longtime book seller, pulls titles from many genres, time periods and cultures. His suggestions include Plato and Zadie Smith, as well as “The 9/11 Commission Report.” Continue reading “Literary Links: List Mania”
