Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Remarkable Physicists: From Galileo to Yukawa by Ioan James

This excellent read offered brief, but insightful biographies on 50 of the top physicists from the 16th century to the present. Beginning with Galileo and ending with Yukawa, this book was eye opening as it clearly presented discoveries by physicists that literally changed the world as we understand it. From chemistry to electromagnetism, from mathematics to quantum physics, from relativity to thermodynamics and beyond, this book was loaded with examples of pure brain power and genius, yet exposed some of the petty weaknesses and failures that even these great physicists faced as they strived to promote themselves and their ideas to the great societies of mathematicians, physicists, and universities of the world.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: QC 15.J36 2004
3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by: Kevin Ross, Associate Dean, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care by T.R. Reid

I cannot recommend this book enough. The author travels the globe to learn about how other countries/cultures would remedy an injury that he has. In doing so, he adds a compelling personalized dimension to our country's struggle with health care reform and concludes that the notion of "socialized medicine" is indeed a myth. Written before the health care reform bill passed, this book takes on a whole new meaning in light of the changes that we are about to experience in health care.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: RA395.A3 R435 2009
3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by: Jennifer Bevan, Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Rating: Highly Recommended

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

In theory, this is a fantastic idea -- the book takes Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice characters (and text) and mixes in killing zombies. While everything about this concept is appealing to me, I just couldn't get into the text. Maybe I don't like Austen as much as I thought I did, or maybe the author just doesn't do a very good job blending these two worlds. I would, however, recommend Seth Grahame-Smith's Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which I am finding much more enjoyable.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3607.R348 P75 2009
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Jason Keller, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Rating: Not Recommended

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

This is one of America's classic pieces of literature. We probably all had to read it, or selections from it, in high school. Beyond its Transcendental philosophy, it made me want to grab a backpack and head for the Sierras! Oh, to be in some secluded cabin--or tent--pondering the mysteries of life!

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3048 .A1 1951
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Diane Gennuso, Student Teaching Advisor, Antelope Valley Campus
Rating: Highly Recommended

A Transient Guest: and Other Episodes by Edgar Saltus

Are wealthy Americans in the south Asian islands so very different from titled Spaniards in Cuba? Can love conquer all? This collection of stories is an interesting picture of privilege in the late 19th century.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS 2752 .T73 2007
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Nancy Stenerson Gonzales, Cataloger, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Following along the same lines as Alli's review, I cannot possibly recommend My Sister's Keeper enough. Picoult artfully and sensitively paints the picture of a family torn apart by leukemia and the medical decisions that entails. What follows is a compelling novel that explores family dynamics, individual autonomy, and the pain of letting go.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3566.I372 M97 2005
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Ashley Bloomfield, Program Assistant, Rodgers Center
Rating: Highly Recommended

Daisy Miller: A Study by Henry James

Is Annie P. (Daisy) Miller just a free spirited sweet American; genuine and innocent? Or is she a common & vulgar young lady worthy only of contempt and ostracism from her betters? That's a question Winterbourne, whose Aunt strongly objects to any association with her, has been contemplating ever since his first encounter with Daisy, when she agreed to accompany him to the Castle of Chillon, un-chaperoned. While at the Castle, Daisy pouts upon learning Winterbourne must depart for Geneva on the morrow. Winterbourne happily acquiesces to join Daisy and family by Winter in Italy, but is surprised to discover upon his arrival that her familiar attentions have reasserted themselves, now upon a striking young Italian gentleman, whose great pleasure it is to accompany her on moonlit walks, un-chaperoned.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS2116 .D3 1969
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Tracie Hall, Librarian, Law Library
Rating: Recommended

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro

While well written, I found these 10 short stories to be a bit on the “dark” side. The last one, “Too Much Happiness” is written about the Russian female mathematician Sophie Kovalevsky. Alice Munro is the winner of the 2009 Man Booker International Prize.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton
1st Floor McNaughton Collection
Review submitted by: Cathy Elliott, Law Library
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

The Hot Kid by Leonard Elmore

This is a book about a US Marshal chasing various criminals during Prohibition. The writing is original, colorful, humorous and completely believable. Carlos Webster shot his first criminal at 15. He's not proud of that fact but the man was stealing his cattle. Throughout the rest of the book Carlos (now known as Carl) invites the unlawful to turn over their lives of crime and do the right thing HIS way. . . .calmly, highly skilled and well-armed.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3562.E55 H66 2005
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Linda Corcoran, Anderson Center for Economic Research
Rating: Highly Recommended

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is a compilation of short stories, each depicting a unique slice of life. Being an avid reader of Haruki Murakami's novels, I was interested to see how the author approached short stories. I found the stories in this book to provide the character development, magical realism, and original thought that continue to draw me to Murakami's writing.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PL856 .U673 A23 2007
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Annie Knight, Coordinator of Brandman Library Services, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

Arms of Destruction by Robert Slayton

Written by our own Bob Slayton in the History Department, this non-fiction work covers the various land weapon systems used by the various powers during WWII. Bob writes in a conversational tone and without technical jargon, so the work is very accessible to laypersons. Though his conclusions do not go against the accepted opinion, his pieces on the various weapons are still very interesting and offers a quick read.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: UF523.S56 2004
3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by: Rand Boyd, Special Collections & Archives Librarian, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

This graphic novel is a wonderful example of steampunk and the tried and true concept of fictional characters that actually exist (now what's the word for that again? I can never remember it...). If you have an interest in old fiction and a passing knowledge of Victoriana then this title is for you. It is very readable, though it is a dark story and the art reinforces this, but it was still nice to see Allan Quartermain out and about.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PN6727.M664 L48 2000
1st Floor Graphic Novels Collection
Review submitted by: Rand Boyd, Special Collections & Archives Librarian, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman

I would usually recommend any Tony Hillerman novel, especially for fans of the Southwestern United States, for his skillful, informative blending of the land, people, history and traditions of the Four Corners region of Arizona and New Mexico into quality, readable detective fictions. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Sergeant Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police are steady, thoughtful characters throughout his series; however, in The Wailing Wind, feminist critics might take issue with Hillerman's treatment of female officer, Bernadette Manuelito, for an over-simple resolution of the intermingled love story.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS 3558.I45W34 2002
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Chris Rynd, Senior Writer, University Advancement
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I cannot praise enough Nathaniel Hawthorne's eloquence of heart and soul! The foremost “character” being an ancestral abode of dark and brooding visage visiting upon its inhabitants the sins of their forefathers, I was not convinced of the story's billing as a romance, yet I would agree that Hawthorne's allegorically poetic style is infused with romance.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS 1861 .A1 1987
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Tracie Hall, Librarian, Law Library
Rating: Highly Recommended

Monday, June 21, 2010

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I have a list of 100 books I want to read before I can't pick up a book any longer. Upon the recommendation of Emily Novick, I decided to read this book. I was amazed that a "classic" could be this engrossing. Reading about seriously disturbed people may not be your cup of tea, but if you are in the least bit interested in how crazy human interactions can get, please read this book. It will make an impression on you, one way or the other.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR4172 .W7 2000d
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Kathy Wright, Executive Assistant, Office of the Executive VP & COO
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

This book followed the further adventures of our friends...Lisbeth & Mikael...as they track down an international human trafficker who, it turns out, is ... oh, wait, that would spoil it for you! A fun, fast summer read that seems even more exotic because the action is set in Sweden. This is the second of a series of 3 books written by the author before his untimely death. Enjoy.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PT9876.22.A6933 F5713 2009
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Kathy Wright, Executive Assistant, Office of the Executive VP & COO
Rating: Recommended

Swimsuit by James Patterson

My experience with Patterson books is they get monotonously similar, but they're also consistent enough when you want a familiar read. I quit reading his books a while ago but gave this one a chance. I liked it. It took a turn in the middle and I enjoyed it enough to wonder if it was based on a true story.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton
1st Floor McNaughton Collection
Review submitted by: Linda Corcoran, Anderson Center for Economic Research
Rating: Recommended

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is an amazing writer! She tells the story through different lenses and perspectives. It is about a young girl who becomes very ill and the impact it has on the family. The ending is very unpredictable. You won't see it coming.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3566.I372 M97 2005
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Alli Segal, Program Coordinator for Greek Life
Rating: Highly Recommended

Atonement by Ian McEwan

This beautiful, painful story of a life examined invokes a sibling drama of accusation and betrayal that unfurls within the scape of WWII Britain. McEwan so exactingly adheres to a self-defined law of consciousness, with hat-tips to Virginia Woolf and Henri Bergson, that he creates something close to a philosophical model of time that is characterized by an intense, inexorable subjectivity. Atonement is a powerful novel, full of horrors, that gave me more than one reason to smile.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR6063.C4 A88 2002
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Chris Rynd, Senior Writer, University Advancement
Rating: Highly Recommended

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

This is a young adult adventure tale about Meggie and her father, Mo. When Mo reads aloud, characters from the book come out of the story, and not all who come out are nice guys. I liked the general idea behind this, and I enjoyed it to an extent, but it really seemed to drag out. I often found myself putting it down. It could have easily been 150-200 pages shorter and it wouldn't have lost anything.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PT2666.U49 I554 2003
3rd Floor Education Muth Library
Review submitted by: Lisa Champ, Gift Recorder, University Advancement
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

Friday, June 18, 2010

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Middlesex is not only an entertaining work of fiction and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel; it is a thought provoking examination of gender constructs and identity. Cal, formerly known as Calliope, narrates the story and guides the reader through his twisted family tree in the hopes of discovering more about his identity as an intersex individual. Eugenides challenges us to abandon preconceived notions of what it means to be "male" or "female" as the gender lines are blurred beyond recognition.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3555.U4 M53 2002
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Ashley Bloomfield, Program Assistant, Rodgers Center
Rating: Highly Recommended

Marie Curie: A Life by Susan Quinn

Marie Curie: A Life is a fantastic biography of the first double- Nobel Prize winner (though the first chapter is a bit too thick with historical context). Taking advantage of archival materials, including personal letters, Susan Quinn chronicles a fascinating life of science, work, love, and family. It's important to be reminded, too, that, on the verge of her second Nobel Prize, Curie was denied membership in the French Academy of Sciences because some members thought it inappropriate to admit women.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: QD22.C8 Q56 1995
3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by: Anna Leahy, Associate Professor, English
Rating: Highly Recommended

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

I've never read anything by Truman Capote before because, well, he gave me the creeps. However, I must say, he is/was an excellent writer. He made this sad tale come alive--I could vividly picture Holcomb, Kansas, the Clutter family and Perry Smith and Dick Hickock--the two weaselly murderers. I read somewhere that this book was a turning point for the true crime genre; gave it a deserving place on the bookshelf. According to TCM the movie will be on this week--with Robert Blake, another person with a sad story.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: HV6533.K3 C3 1965
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Diane Gennuso, Student Teaching Advisor, Antelope Valley Campus
Rating: Recommended

Passing by Nella Larsen

Passing by Nella Larsen is the story of two middle class African-American women who can “pass” for white. One does so entirely, even hiding her ancestry from her husband, while the other passes only on occasion for convenience. Trouble arrives when their worlds collide. What follows is a tightly-wound psychological drama that explores race, class and the confines of women's lives in 1920s America.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3523.A7225 P37 2002
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Dawn Bonker, Public Relations Writer
Rating: Highly Recommended

Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh

This book is scattered enough in its style as to make it hard to keep coming back to finish it. I did finish it though and found a selfish, cavalier, British, between-wars youth living through the pretense of wealth at party after party before ending in an apocalyptic battlefield of WWII, having resolved not much of anything in their lives. The occasional hilarious description of party-goers, and decisions made make this book tolerable, but certainly not for a second reading.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR6045.A97 V5 1946
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Brett Fisher, Chair of Library Systems, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman

The book was very well written. However, it was hard to follow and slow at times. It tracks the life of a young girl trying to survive during harsh times. A serious illness has taken over the town and she is fighting to continue to make money and survive. It is historical fiction. I loved the symbolism and how well it was written, but it was a little slow at times.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3558.O35596 D74 2001
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Alli Segal, Program Coordinator for Greek Life
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

This book is best described as meditations on Dillard's life as a writer. With poetic language that is interspersed with humour, she discusses the torturous difficulties of writing, her writing spaces, and the natural landscapes she has come to know and now identify with moments in her life. The final section on the artistry of the late stunt pilot Dave Rahm is eloquent and strikingly beautiful.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3554.I398 Z478 1989
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Stacy Russo, Chair of Public Services, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended

Monday, June 14, 2010

Storm Prey by John Sandford

A theft from a hospital pharmacy takes a tragic turn and a doctor catches a fleeting glance of the burglars in the glare of her headlights as they flee. One by one, those involved in the crime are killed. Will the police solve the crime before the doctor meets the same fate?

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton
1st Floor McNaughton Collection
Review submitted by: Cathy Elliott, Law Library
Rating: Highly Recommended

Friday, June 11, 2010

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

I found this both an inspiring and often challenging exploration of our relationship with animals, specifically with those we choose to eat. It examines the ethics and real dangers of conventional animal agriculture and factory farming and questions the author's own justifications for eating some meat products and not others. While it's not preachy, it does challenge its readers to think critically about their food choices as eating animals by including research, interviews, and personal insight that present a compelling, honest, and, for me, very meaningful work of literature.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: TX392 .F58 2009
3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by: Justin Koppelman, Program Coordinator, Student & Campus Life
Rating: Highly Recommended

W. A. Mozart: The Story of His Life and Work by Eric Roseberry

This book is brief while still hitting the major events. It is long enough to give a sense of the man, but short enough to whip right through. This is a great introduction to Mozart's work and life, and a good springing-point from which to delve into narrower topics.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: ML410.M9 R83 1960
3rd Floor Music Library
Review submitted by: Brett Fisher, Chair of Library Systems, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended

Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel

If you like bananas this book may ap-"peel" to you. All "monkeying" aside, it offers an historical account of the banana, including diseases that are now affecting the banana's future as we know it.

Review submitted by: James McCulloch, Carpenter, Facilities
Rating: Highly Recommended

The Lover by Marguerite Duras

This is the story of a young French girl in 1930s Indochina and her affair with an older Chinese man. I love how it is written - recollections of a woman looking back on her youth - moments in time. Sometimes those moments are full memories, but other times they are just abstract images or ideas. This is very easy to read and semi-autobiographical, which makes it all the more compelling. From what I understand there is a bit of debate as to how closely this mirrors Duras' youth - she was born in Indochina and moved to France at 17.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PQ2607.U8245 A62613 1997
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Lisa Champ, Gift Recorder, University Advancement
Rating: Highly Recommended

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

I was hoping this would be an interesting and informative account of the culture and history in North and South America pre-Columbus. It had its interesting parts, but tried to cover too much and hopped around between continents and cultures with too little organization.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: E61 .M266 2005
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Jennifer Bevan, Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

Sula by Toni Morrison

This novel captures the world of The Bottom, a black community in Ohio. This is not a "happy" novel, but one that is tragic, beautiful, and magical, because of Morrison's writing. Sula Peace, who is considered an evil force and "witch" for her actions, is one of many memorable characters. Her relationship with Nel and the differences between them is a core element of this intricate work.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3563.O8749 S8 1973
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Stacy Russo, Chair of Public Services, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

American Notes by Rudyard Kipling

American Notes is an account of Rudyard Kipling's thoughts and observations while traveling throughout the United States in the late nineteenth century. Starting in San Francisco and working his way through Oregon's Columbia and Willamette River territory, Yellowstone's geyser basins and canyon, and the cities of Chicago and Buffalo, Kipling sometimes has a seemingly negative or ethnocentric view of the people he encounters and the places in which he finds himself. Nonetheless, his observations are interesting and amusing and his writing superb.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: E168 .K563 1899
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Andrew Tessandori, Cataloging Assistant, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Recommended

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Emma by Jane Austen

Not my favorite Jane Austen book. I have enjoyed her satirical take on English society in her previous books, but this one was loooonng and tedious. I never connected with the characters. Don't "waste" your time.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR4034 .E5 2005
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Diane Gennuso, Student Teaching Advisor, Antelope Valley Campus
Rating: Somewhat Recommended

Monday, June 7, 2010

The Golden Touch by Nathaniel Hawthorne

King Midas swears he could never tire of gold, and rapturously accepts a radiant being's gift of the “golden touch.” The King's' delight is fast fading, however, as he experiences the impracticality of EVERYTHING turning to gold. When his daughter runs to hug his frets away, the crowning blow is mortifying; Marygold has become a golden statue! Now he just wants everything back the way it was!

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS1872 .G65 1959
3rd Floor Education Muth Library
Review submitted by: Tracie Hall, Librarian, Law Library
Rating: Highly Recommended

Farmer Giles of Ham by J. R. R. Tolkien

Making this little book a piece of art, an unknown at the time; Pauline Diana Baynes provided J.R.R. Tolkien the illustrations to this pithy tail ---featuring most prominently, a dragon's tail (honestly), a King (of course), a (deaf) giant, a village of frightened folk, a dragon's treasure, and a farmer who finds himself in the middle of all this, not by dint of wit, wisdom, or even wager, but rather recruited and aided by chance (i.e., a dog, a horse, and a magic sword). Truly the stuff of all great tale/tails!

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR6039.O32 F37 1965
3rd Floor Education Muth Library
Review submitted by: Tracie Hall, Librarian, Law Library
Rating: Highly Recommended

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

If you enjoy family drama, don't miss this book! The resolution of the mysterious disappearance of a family member 40 years ago has more twists and turns than a Magic Mountain roller coaster. You may not develop a lot of compassion for the members of the dysfunctional family; however, you'll empathize with at least one of the other main characters.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PT9876.22.A6933 M3613 2009
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Kathy Wright, Executive Assistant, Office of the Executive VP & COO
Rating: Highly Recommended

Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson

Two women, one old, one young, share their stories. Together they forge a friendship that helps both of them to heal from the past and open their hearts to life and love.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR9639.4.047L48 2007
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Cathy Elliott, Law Library
Rating: Highly Recommended

Writing a Woman's Life by Carolyn Heilbrun

Carolyn Heilbrun had an amazing career as an English professor at Columbia who also wrote mystery novels under the pen name Amanda Cross. (Heilbrun did not reveal she was Cross for many years for fear that her fictional pursuits would prevent her from receiving tenure.) In this book, she masterfully examines women's autobiography and biography as a feminist critic. Biographers of women and women setting out to write their own stories can find much inspiration here.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: CT3203 .H44 2002
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Stacy Russo, Chair of Public Services, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter could easily be dismissed as dark and depressing (which it sort of is), and it is definitely not plot-driven. However, what makes this novel remarkable are the rich characters who voice each chapter - John Singer, a deaf-mute; Mick Kelly, a 12 year old girl from a poor family; Biff Brannon, a cafe owner; and Doc Copeland, an African American physician. Set in 1930s Georgia, the stories of these characters and how they interact is incredibly rich and moving. Even though I was a bit sad while reading this novel, I greatly enjoyed it.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3525.A1772 H4 2000
2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by: Lisa Champ, Gift Recorder, University Advancement
Rating: Highly Recommended

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid, Alex Ross, & Todd Klein

What happens when superheroes have vanquished all their arch-nemeses and have subsequently lost their own moral compasses? Apparently, anything they want. Kingdom Come tells the story of the super- humans that follow in Super Man's footsteps and how the original Justice League must return from their retirement to correct their progeny's mistakes. It explores themes such as moral ambiguity and the "needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few."

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PN6728.K5745 W35 2008
1st Floor Graphic Novels Collection
Review submitted by: Scott Stone, Music Librarian, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

A middle age man, on the brink of divorce, looks back on his life. While trying to find a place to scatter his parent's ashes he contemplates the choices he has made and the influence his parents have had on his life and marriage. At times this book seemed a bit dark, but ended on a positive note.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton
1st Floor McNaughton Collection
Review submitted by: Cathy Elliott, Law Library
Rating: Recommended

The Magic Flute Unveiled: Esoteric Symbolism in Mozart's Masonic Opera: An Interpretation of the Libretto and the Music by Jacques Chailley

Wonderfully detailed interpretation, from start to finish, of the Magic Flute and its symbolism. History of the libretto, Mozart's relationships with those involved, and historical and Masonic context. Books is basically divided into two sections: an interpretation of the libretto and an interpretation of the music.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: ML410.M9 C363 1992
3rd Floor Music Library
Review submitted by: Brett Fisher, Chair of Library Systems, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Highly Recommended