Outstanding Books for the College Bound - 2009
These books offer opportunities to discover new ideas and provide an introduction to the fascinating variety of subjects within an academic discipline. The list is organized into five academic disciplines and includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography and drama, focusing on titles that have been published during the past five years.
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Bernier-Grand, Carmen. Frida:
Viva la Vida! Long Live Life!
In
26 original, free-verse poems the author depicts the thoughts,
feelings, and life events of Mexican self-portraitist Frida Kahlo.
The poems are accompanied by twenty-four full-color reproductions
of Kahlo’s paintings. Substantial background materials include
a biographical sketch, chronology, and glossary. (j759.972 Bernier-Grand)
Blumenthal, Karen.
Let
Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law That Changed the Future
of Girls in America.
This
nonfiction work looks at Title IX, the 1972 legislation mandating
that schools receiving federal funds could not discriminate on
the basis of gender, ensuring equal treatment and opportunity
for girls in sports and education. Included are period photos,
a time line, "then and now" commentary, extensive source
notes, and suggested resources for further reading. (j796.0194
Blumenthal)
Bowker, John. WORLD RELIGIONS: THE GREAT FAITHS EXPLORED
AND EXPLAINED.
This
comprehensive work introduces the reader to faiths of the world
through religious artifacts, paintings, architecture, and annotations
of sacred texts. It includes a time line comparing significant
events and people.
Bryson, Bill. Shakespeare:
The World as Stage.
Bryson
hits the mark with his characteristic wit as he explores the world
of Shakespeare and the mystery surrounding the man and his plays.
(822.33 BB848s)
Campbell, Joseph
and Bill Moyers. The
Power of Myth.
A
companion to the six part television documentary originally broadcast
on PBS, this book covers such subjects as the role of mythology
in the modern world, the journey inward, the hero's adventure,
and tales of love and marriage. (291.13 C152p)
Diamant, Anita.
The
Red Tent.
This
novel recreates the biblical life of Dinah, daughter of Leah and
Jacob, from her birth in Mesopotamia through her death in Egypt.
(Fic Diamant)
D’Orso, Michael.
Eagle
Blue: A Team, a Tribe, and a High School Basketball Season in
Arctic Alaska.
This
true story explores the tiny village of Fort Yukon, Alaska, its
vanishing cultural heritage, and its relationship with mainstream
American culture through its high school basketball team. (796.323
D738e)
Engle, Margarita.
The
Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano.
Written
in verse, this is a Pura Belpre Award winning portrait of Juan
Francisco Manzano, the poet who was born a slave in Cuba in 1797.
(j921 M319e)
Follett, Ken. Pillars
of the Earth.
This
best-selling epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power
set against the canvas of twelfth-century England depicts fascinating
characters and provides a spellbinding introduction to medieval
religion, architecture, politics, and daily life. (Fic Follett)
Freedman, Russell.
The
Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle
for Equal Rights.
A
Newbery Honor book that accounts the life and musical career of
the great African American vocalist, Marion Anderson, in the context
of the history of civil rights in the United States. (j784.092
Freedman)
Greenberg, Jan.
Heart
to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art.
Can
a painting speak? This collection of lyrical responses to famous
American works of art provides answers. (j811.6 Greenberg)
Gruen, Sara. Water
for Elephants.
Gruen
creates a story full of enchanting circus lore, mystery, trains,
romance, and danger with no-holds-barred. (Fic Gruen)
Hemphill, Stephanie.
Your
Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath.
Hemphill
creates a chronological biography in verse format from the viewpoint
of others in Plath’s life. This is a worthy homage to Plath
as her legend lives on. (YA Fic Hemphill)
Howe, Peter. SHOOTING UNDER FIRE: THE WORLD OF THE WAR
PHOTOGRAPHER.
Ten
leading combat photographers share their experiences of horror,
humor, bravery, and daring while reporting from war-torn locations
such as Vietnam, Haiti, Chechnya, El Salvador, Sarajevo, and Afghanistan.
Over 150 black-and-white and color photographs provide a powerful
and moving look at war and those who risk everything to document
it.
Jacobs, A.J. The
Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the
Bible as Literally as Possible.
A
non-judgmental and humorous look at the twelve months Jacobs lived
as closely as he could to literal compliance with biblical rules.
(220 J151y)
King, Melissa. SHE'S GOT NEXT: A STORY OF GETTING IN, STAYING
OPEN AND TAKING A SHOT.
Through
pick-up basketball games and the people she meets on the streets
of Chicago, the author learns valuable life lessons.
Landis, Deborah
Nadoolman. DRESSED: A CENTURY
OF HOLLYWOOD COSTUME DESIGN.
Landis
showcases 100 years of Hollywood’s most memorable costumes
and the characters they helped bring to life as she reveals a
behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of the costume designer’s
art.
Martin, Steve. Born
Standing Up: A Comic’s Life.
In
a memoir full of humor and candor, Martin shares his personal
itinerary as he negotiates the maze of honing his profession and
the pitfalls he avoided. (921 M3652AAb)
McGreevey, Tom and
Joanne Yeck. OUR MOVIE HERITAGE.
This
work provides over one hundred beautiful pictures of top stars,
directors, and others in the film industry, but the focus is on
film preservation and the race against time to salvage what is
left of the large number of films that are currently deteriorating
in our nation’s vaults, theaters, and private collections.
Partridge, Elizabeth.
John
Lennon: All I Want is the Truth.
Partridge
provides a wide-open view into the work and life of one of the
most influential and complicated persons from the world’s
musical heritage. (YA 784.092 Partridge)
Partridge, Elizabeth.
This
Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie.
Guthrie
was a humbling figure, while at the same time a major catalyst
of social change. This work provides insight into one of our most
prolific and talented musicians, as well as the creation of his
music. (j782.4092 Partridge)
Polly, Matthew.
American
Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron
Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China.
The
author reflects on the childhood dream that led him, as an adult,
to take a break from Princeton and travel to China’s famed
Shaolin Temple to study martial arts for two years. (915.1 P766a)
Sandler, Martin.
Photography:
An Illustrated History.
This
work looks at photography as it evolved from daguerreotypes in
the 1800’s to the respected art form that it is today. Numerous
compelling black-and-white and color photographs document technological
developments, the contributions of pioneers in the field, as well
as the impact photography has had upon all aspects of society.
(j770.9 Sandler)
Strickland, Carol.
The
Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric
to Post-Modern.
In
an accessible format, this unique work provides a basic working
knowledge of art and art history through short essays, sidebars,
and photographs. (709 St85a)
Weller, Sheila.
Girls
Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon—And the
Journey of a Generation.
In
three interwoven biographies, Weller chronicles the life and times
of three tradition-breaking women singer-songwriters who came
of age in the late 1960s. (782.4092 W458g)
HISTORY & CULTURES
Ahmad, Dohra, ed. ROTTEN ENGLISH:
A LITERARY ANTHOLOGY.
Language
is power and for the dizzying array of writers collected here,
displaying an authentic voice is a means to reclaim what has been
stolen, oppressed, or colonized. ROTTEN
ENGLISH
collects the poetry, essays, short stories, and novels of the
best in global vernacular writing from Mark Twain to Junot Diaz.
Alexie, Sherman.
The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Arnold
Spirit, aka Junior, was born an outsider with water on his brain,
lopsided eyes, and an IQ oppressed by extreme poverty and a mediocre
reservation education. After switching to an all-white high school
he realizes that though he'll never easily fit in, self-determination
and a solid personal identity will give him the chance to both
succeed and transcend. (YA Fic Alexie)
Bagdasarian, Adam.
Forgotten
Fire.
“Who
will remember the Armenians?” Hitler asked, referencing the
Armenian genocide as his inspiration for the final solution. This
brutal hidden chapter of history is seen through the eyes of 12-year-old
survivor Vahan Kendarian, whose world was shattered within a matter
of days. (YA Fic Bagdasarian)
Chandrasekaran,
Rajiv. Imperial
Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone.
A
journalist explores the pristine "Emerald City," the
American government's enclave inthe middle of war-torn Baghdad.
(956.7 C361i)
Chang, Iris. The
Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II.
Barely
a postscript in official Japanese history, the horrific torture
and murder of hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens took place
over the course of just seven weeks. (951.042 C362r)
Chotjewitz, David.
Daniel
Half-Human and the Good Nazi.
From
Hitler Youth to hunted “mischling,” Daniel's world unravels
when he discovers his mother's hidden history “taints”
him with Jewish blood and marks him for extermination. (YA Fic
Chotjewitz)
Delisle, Guy. PYONGYANG: A JOURNEY IN NORTH KOREA.
The
secretive world of Communist North Korea remains a mystery to
French-Canadian cartoonist Delisle, even after spending two months
inside its borders.
Diamond, Jared.
Collapse:
How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.
What
do the lack of Icelandic fisherman, the 2008 Chinese Olympics,
and Easter Island tree cutters all have in common? Much more than
you might think. Collapseexplores the political, technological,
and ecological decisions which merge in order to sustain or destroy
societies. (303.4 D541c)
Diaz, Junot. The
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
“Ghetto
nerd,” outcast, and anime-loving Oscar Wao is the latest
in a long line of doomed generations to suffer the dreaded fuku
curse of his native Dominican Republic. With humor and talent
as his weapons, he perseveres, knowing “you can never run
away. Not ever. The only way out is in." (Fic Diaz)
Egan, Timothy. The
Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great
American Dust Bowl.
Award
winning New York Times reporter Egan tackles the great dust bowl
phenomenon of the 1930's and 40's in this multi-tiered account.
He shares incredible eye-witness accounts as well as the overwhelming
convergences of failed agricultural practices, ill-fated government
policies, and the costs of "get rich quick" schemes.
(978.032 Ea31w)
Eggers, Dave. What
is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng: A Novel.
As
a young boy Valentino witnessed Arab militia men destroy his village,
hid from hungry lions, wandered through wasted, desert landscapes,
and narrowly escaped fatal disease, capture, starvation, and enlistment.
The will to survive displayed here is almost as miraculous as
this Sudanese "Lost Boy's" ability to recount the harrowing
genocide of home and people with such thoughtfulness and grace.
(Fic Eggers)
Fadiman, Anne. The
Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American
Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures.
A
Hmong refugee family in California clashes with the American medical
system when they attribute their daughter's grand mal seizures
to a spiritual rather than physical problem. (305.8959 F126s)
Fleming, Anne Marie.
THE MAGICAL LIFE OF LONG TACK
SAM.
In
his day, Long Tack Sam was an acrobat, a magician, an entrepreneur,
a world traveler, a celebrity, a father, a ladies man, and a husband.
This graphic collage biography pairs narrative writing, handbills,
photographs, and news clippings along with interviews, comics,
and commentary to convey the inevitable effects of cultural shifts
and global politics on individual lives.
Jones, Edward P.
The
Known World.
In
this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Jones approaches a little explored
chapter in antebellum history, that of African American slave
owners. Set several decades before the beginning of the Civil
War, this title skillfully weaves plot, time, and perspective
amongst a diverse and powerful cast of characters in order to
explore the moral complexities inherent to human freedom (or the
lack thereof). (Fic Jones)
Horwitz, Tony. A
Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World.
Pulitzer
Prize-winning journalist Horwitz uses humor and candor to literally
follow in the footsteps of the first American explorers—from
the Vikings and French utopians to America’s first African-American
trailblazer—whose discoveries took place hundreds of years
before the mythical landing on Plymouth Rock. (970.01 H789v)
Larson, Erik. The
Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair
that Changed America.
The
1893 Chicago World's Fair captured the imagination of the whole
world, and also provided a playground for a cunning serial killer.
(364.1523 L329d)
Maltman, Thomas.
The
Night Birds.
Three
generations of settlers and native Dakota weave a dark tale of
family secrets and brutal injustice in Civil War era America.
(Fic Maltman)
Roberts, Gene and
Hank Klibanoff. The
Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening
of a Nation.
When
Harry Reasoner thrust a microphone at an angry mob, and yelled
"I don't care what you're going to do to me, but the whole
world is going to know it!" he spoke for all the reporters
and photographers, black and white, north and south, who played
a critical role in bringing the reality of the Civil Rights movement
into the living rooms and consciousness of the American public.
(070.4493 R542r)
Saenz, Benjamin
Alire. Sammy
and Juliana in Hollywood.
This
Hollywood is a barrio in 1968 New Mexico, where the students at
Las Cruces High School struggle through heartbreak, loss, and
an entrenched racial divide to find their place in the world.
(YA Fic Saenz)
Satrapi, Marjane.
THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS.
Marjane
Satrapi's memoir of her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution
is beautifully rendered in this graphic novel series.
Spiegelman, Art.
The
Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale.
A
man struggles to come to terms with his parents' brutal past at
Auschwitz in this seminal graphic novel. (940.5318 Sp43ma)
Ung, Loung. First
They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers.
The
perils of life under the brutal Pol Pot regime change a young
woman’s life forever, as she and her family find themselves
fugitives of war, without even their names to remind them of what
they lost. (959.604 Un3AAf)
Weiner, Tim. Legacy
of Ashes: The History of the CIA.
With
considerable research and extensive interviews, Tim Weiner shows
the grave miscalculations that have plagued the Central Intelligence
Agency since its inception. (327.12 W431l)
Williams, David.
Bitterly
Divided: The South’s Inner Civil War.
The
Civil War was lost long before the first shot was ever fired,
thanks to deep and violent divisions of class and political allegiance
that resulted in “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s
fight.” (973.713 W671b)
Wolf, Allan. New
Found Land: Lewis and Clark’s Voyage of Discovery.
The
epic journey of Lewis and Clark comes alive as each member of
the expedition tells an intimately personal story of struggle
and discovery in this sweeping poetic rendition. (YA Fic Wolf)
LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE
ARTS
Allison, Dorothy. Bastard
Out of Carolina.
Bone
confronts illegitimacy, poverty, the troubled marriage of her
mother and stepfather, and the stigma of being considered “white
trash” as she comes of age in South Carolina. (Fic Allison)
Anderson, M.T. The
Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol.
1: The Pox Party.
The
Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol.
II: The Kingdom on the Waves.
Set
during the American Revolution, Octavian is raised as a pampered
African prince by a society of Enlightenment philosophers who
view him as an experiment. Realizing that his freedom is an illusion,
Octavian sets off on a journey to find freedom and a place in
the world. These books will challenge everything you have ever
learned about the Revolutionary War. (YA Fic Anderson)
Bond, Jenny. WHO THE HELL IS PANSY O'HARA?: THE FASCINATING
STORIES BEHIND 50 OF THE WORLD'S BEST-LOVED BOOKS.
Did
you ever wonder what an author was thinking when they wrote their
book? Explore the quirky back-stories of some of the world’s
most famous 50 books.
Cameron, Peter.
Someday
This Pain Will be Useful to You.
James
hates everyone except his grandmother. Take a look at life through
this brilliant and mischievous New York teen’s eyes as he
tries to figure out life and his place in it. (YA Fic Cameron)
Cisneros, Sandra.
Caramelo.
LaLa
learns the stories of her Awful Grandmother and weaves them into
a colorful family history. The “caramelo,” a striped
shawl begun by her Great-Grandmother, symbolizes their traditions.
(Fic Cisneros)
Dunn, Mark. Ella
Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters.
The
people of Nollop are good citizens, but as the use of more and
more letters in the alphabet is outlawed, how will its residents
communicate? (Fic Dunn)
Foer, Jonathan Safran.
Extremely
Loud and Incredibly Close.
Oskar
Schell, a gifted 9-year-old, explores the mystery of his father’s
death during the 9/11 attack. (Fic Foer)
Gaines, Ernest.
A
Lesson Before Dying.
When
Jefferson's attorney states, "I would just as soon put a
hog in the electric chair as this," disillusioned teacher
Grant Wiggins is sent into the penitentiary to help Jefferson
gain a sense of dignity and self-esteem before his execution.
(Fic Gaines)
Good Poems. Keillor, Garrison, ed.
An
essential and accessible anthology of some of the best contemporary
and classic poetry. (811.008 G591)
Green, John. Looking
for Alaska.
Join
Miles Halter, who is intrigued by famous last words, as he heads
off to boarding school in search of the “Great Perhaps.”
What he finds is a beautiful but troubled girl named Alaska. (YA
Fic Green)
Haddon, Mark. The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Christopher
has two mysteries to solve: who killed Wellington the dog and
what happened to his mother. But Christopher, who has Asperger
Syndrome, a form of autism, approaches these mysteries and the
world itself in a unique and special way. (YA Fic Haddon)
Hosseini, Khaled.
The
Kite Runner.
Years
after he flees Afghanistan, Amir, now an American citizen, returns
to his native land and attempts to atone for the betrayal of his
best friend before he fled Kabul and the Taliban. (Fic Hosseini)
Ishiguro, Kazuo.
Never
Let Me Go.
Only
special students are chosen to attend Hailsham, an exclusive boarding
school tucked away in the English countryside. The chilling truth
of their special nature slowly unfolds as we follow the stories
of three former students. (Fic Ishiguro)
Jones, Lloyd. Mister
Pip.
Matilda’s
Pacific Island village has been torn apart by civil war. Against
this harsh backdrop, Mr. Watts, a lonely British expatriate, maintains
calm by reading Dicken’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS aloud to the
village children, transforming their lives. (Fic Jones)
Kidd, Sue Monk.
The
Secret Life of Bees.
Searching
for the truth about her mother’s life and death, a grieving
Lily finds the answers, love, and acceptance where she least expects
it. (Fic Kidd)
Kyle, Aryn. The
God of Animals.
Twelve-year
old Alice must face issues beyond her years. Her sister has run
off, her mother won’t get out of bed, and the family horse
farm is failing. Can she keep the family from falling apart? (Fic
Kyle)
Maguire, Gregory.
Wicked:
The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
The
Wizard of Oz retold from the point of view of Elphaba, the Wicked
Witch of the West. You’ll never think of Oz the same way
again. (Fic Maguire)
McCarthy, Cormac.
The
Road.
After
an apocalyptic catastrophe, a father and his young son embark
on a grim and perilous quest following the road to the sea. (Fic
McCarthy)
Murakami, Haruki.
Kafka
on the Shore.
Reality
and fantasy converge in this story of a Japanese runaway’s
quest to find his long-lost sister and mother. (Fic Murakami)
Myers, Walter Dean.
Sunrise
Over Fallujah.
Robin
believes in his country and volunteers to fight in Iraq; but when
he arrives he realizes that fighting for freedom is not always
black and white. (YA Fic Myers)
Roth, Philip. The
Plot Against America.
This
is a fascinating alternate history that takes a hard look at one
of America’s legendary heroes, Charles Lindbergh, and at
how bigotry and fear can shape politics. (Fic Roth)
Sebold, Alice. Lucky:
A Memoir.
“You
save yourself or you remain unsaved.” With these words, Sebold
recounts the brutal rape that she was “lucky” to survive.
Tragedy and hope combine as she makes her way through a survivor’s
maze of emotions. (362.883 Se22l)
Stoppard, Tom. Rosencrantz
& Guildenstern are Dead.
Two
bit players from Shakespeare's Hamlet are thrust into a terrifying
and surreal new situation. (822.914 St73ro)
Thompson, Craig.
Blankets.
A
young man questions his faith and experiences bittersweet first
love in this autobiographical and groundbreaking graphic novel.
(Fic Thompson)
Zusak, Marcus. The
Book Thief.
Living
in Nazi Germany, young Liesel and her family choose to lie and
steal to protect a Jewish refugee hiding in their basement. Narrated
by Death, this is not your typical World War II story. (YA Fic
Zusak)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Adams, Scott. GOD'S DEBRIS:
A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT.
Take
a metaphysical journey into man’s first science, the search
for meaning, as you try to deliver a package to the smartest man
in the world who won’t take it until you understand.
American Earth: Environmental Writing Since
Thoreau.
McKibben, Bill, ed.
Experience
the growth of the environmental movement in poetry, essay, song,
and prose from its infancy to present day through the eyes of
its champions. (333.72 Am35)
Anderson, M.T. Feed.
In
this society your brain cyberfeed provides an endless stream of
information, entertainment and advertising. When Violet’s
feed is disrupted, she’s cast adrift and everyone is forced
to examine the power of the feed in his/her life. (YA Fic SF Anderson)
Ayres, Ian. Super
Crunchers: Why Thinking-By-Numbers is the New Way to Be Smart.
With
real-life examples from sports, medicine, online dating, and airline
pricing, Ayres describes how data about all of us is collected
and “crunched” by statisticians and computers to profile
consumers benefitting both the consumer and the companies interested
in selling to them. (519.5 Ay74s)
Best, Joel. Damned
Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians,
and Activists.
Confused
by all the contradicting statistical data being bantered around
by advertisers and the media? Best explains how these statistics
are created and their social implications, which will help you
distinguish truth from hype. (300.72 B464d)
Bryson, Bill. A
Short History of Nearly Everything.
A
renowned travel writer brings complex scientific concepts to life
by describing how the universe and life as we know it came to
be. (500 B848s)
Casey, Susan. The
Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among
America’s Great White Sharks.
While
studying migratory birds on the remote Farallones Islands, 30
miles off the coast of San Francisco, biologists noticed red blotches
in the surrounding waters. These sightings evolve into a full
blown scientific study of great white sharks revealing unknown
secrets of this prehistoric beast. (597.31 C268d)
Chen, Joanne. The
Taste of Sweet: Our Complicated Love Affair With Our Favorite
Treats.
Why
does chocolate taste so good but broccoli turns many of us off?
The science, history and social changes behind the American sweet-tooth
are explored from taste buds on our tongues, to slaves on the
sugar plantations. (641.013 C42t)
Doctorow, Cory.
Little
Brother.
In
near future San Franciso, 17-year-old Marcus, also known as w1n5t0n
(or Winston), is running from the Department of Homeland Security
after he is detained under suspicion of participating in a terrorist
attack. Marcus and his friends are using technology to further
their cause. (YA Fic SF Doctorow)
Firlik, Katrina.
Another
Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside.
Firlik
brings honest appraisal of her work with less heroism and more
day-to-day problem solving as she moves from intern to doctor.
Along the way she removes a nail in a carpenter’s head and
allows maggots to clean pus out of an infected brain in this humorous
and candid memoir. (617.48092 F515AAa)
Flannery, Tim. The
Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means
for Life on Earth.
What
are melting glaciers, disappearing frogs and a season of perfect
storms trying to tell us about the conditions of the planet we
call home and what can we do to prevent a catastrophe? (363.7387
F614w)
George, Rose. The
Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why
it Matters.
It
isn’t hidden behind the bathroom door or quietly flushed
down the toilet in this book: a look at the dirty details of what
happens to human waste around the globe and how it affects our
health and sanitation. (363.72 G293b)
Hoose, Phillip M.
The
Race to Save the Lord God Bird.
The
ivory-billed woodpecker is thought to be extinct, but some disagree.
Hoose documents the scientific and bird-watching communities’
attempts to find this lost species and save its habitat in the
Southern United States. (j598.72 Hoose)
Jones, Chris. OUT OF ORBIT: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY
OF THREE ASTRONAUTS WHO WERE HUNDREDS OF MILES ABOVE EARTH WHEN
THEY LOST THEIR RIDE HOME.
The
mission seemed jinxed from the start and nothing could have prepared
the team for the challenge of being stranded in earth’s orbit
after the destruction of the shuttle Columbia and its crew. Finding
a way home was a herculean feat of teamwork on and off the planet.
Leopold, Aldo. A
Sand County Almanac.
This
classic of environmental and nature writing, arranged by season,
provides a poetic view through the window of the Leopold family
farm in the Wisconsin meadows. Even 60 years after this book’s
original publication, Leopold’s closing comments on land
ethic and conservation are surprisingly relevant. (500.9 L555s)
Macaulay, David.
Mosque.
Enter
a community mosque of the sixteenth century, and discover the
techniques used to raise towering minarets and a beautiful prayer
hall dome. This simplistic book for all ages glorifies these magnificent
buildings that served as the center of religion, and also housed
travelers, stored food, and provided public baths. (j726.2 Macaulay)
Macaulay, David.
The
Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body.
Concerned
about taking freshman biology? Get a leg up on the course by letting
Macaulay take you on a whirlwind tour of the human body with detailed
illustrations and succinct explanations of its building blocks
and systems. (j612 Macaulay)
Melville, Greg.
Greasy
Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a Cross-Country
Search for a Greener Future.
Take
a humorous, green road trip with the author and his college buddy
in a converted 1980’s Mercedes from Vermont to California,
and learn a little about how to be more eco-friendly along the
way. (333.72 M497g)
Pollan, Michael.
The
Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye View of the World.
Through
the sweetness of apples, the beauty of tulips, the intoxication
of marijuana, and potato control; Pollan proves mankind manipulates
plants and they, in turn, entice us to do their bidding. (581.6
P76b)
Preston, Richard.
The
Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring.
Three
buddies on spring break climb into a California redwood and discover
a new ecosystem atop the trees. Join this group of young scientists
in the canopy as they learn safe climbing techniques for the oldest
and tallest trees of North America, and encounter new species
of plants, animals, and love. (585.2 P927w)
Roach, Mary. Stiff:
The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.
Discover
the amazing life-after-death adventures of human bodies in this
examination of how medical and research scientists use cadavers
to make our lives better. (611 R53s)
Schroeder, Gerald.
Hidden
Face of God: How Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth.
This
somewhat controversial book investigates the relationship between
physics and metaphysics, science and religion, but doesn’t
provide any specific answers. It will evoke a sense of wonder
about the cosmos and life itself for those who have an open mind.
(215 Sch76h)
Silverstein, Ken.
The
Radioactive Boy Scout: The True Story of a Boy and His Backyard
Nuclear Reactor.
What
would you do if you came home to find your neighborhood quarantined?
Learn the true story of how David Hahn’s teenage obsession
prompted government agents to descend on his suburban backyard.
(YA 921 H124s)
Smith, Gina. THE GENOMICS AGE: HOW DNA TECHNOLOGY IS
TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE LIVE AND WHO WE ARE.
From
Crick and Watson’s discovery of the double helix, to “designer”
embryos, learn the history and truth behind the controversies
in today’s news. Smith, a former network news technology
consultant, gives the hard scientific facts in an enjoyable easy
to read manner.
Teresi, Dick. LOST DISCOVERIES: THE ANCIENT ROOTS OF MODERN
SCIENCE - FROM THE BABYLONIANS TO THE MAYA.
Living
in our modern technological society it’s easy to believe
ancient cultures had little scientific or mathematical knowledge.
Teresi, however, demonstrates that modern science is much older
than we think, and shows how scientific and mathematical concepts
of ancient cultures are the foundation of today’s technology.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays
with Morrie: an Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson.
Meet
one-of-a-kind college professor Morrie Schwartz, who teaches us
all to live fully as he lies dying, and his former student Mitch
Albom, who gets a chance to rediscover life through the death
of his mentor and friend. (921 Sch955al)
Beah, Ishmael. A
Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.
The
riveting, firsthand account of Ishmael Beah, a 12-year-old child
soldier, hopped up on drugs and wielding an AK-47, who gets swept
up in the horrors of civil war in his African homeland. (921 B3594AAl)
Bolles, Richard
Nelson. What
Color Is Your Parachute?
With
a proven track record of more than thirty years in publication,
this top-selling career guide has been updated and revised to
help first-time job seekers discover and get the right work for
them. (331.128 B638w)
Casnocha, Ben. MY START-UP LIFE: WHAT A (VERY) YOUNG CEO
LEARNED ON HIS JOURNEY THROUGH SILICON VALLEY.
Casnocha,
a 19-year-old entrepreneur, tells his own story about the ups
and downs of making a business idea work and inspires readers
to find their own way to make a difference.
George, Mary W.
THE ELEMENTS OF LIBRARY RESEARCH:
WHAT EVERY STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW.
Succinct
and practical, this guide provides students with the tactics,
tools and confidence they need to successfully conduct college
level research.
Gladwell, Malcolm.
The
Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
Through
entertaining anecdotes Gladwell explains the phenomena of fads,
or how little actions can ripple outward until a “tipping
point” is reached which results in a dramatic change. (302
G455t)
Juette, Melvin and
Ronald J. Berger. WHEELCHAIR
WARRIOR: GANGS, DISABILITY, AND BASKETBALL.
This
inspiring story follows the transformation of a 16-year-old African
American from gang member destined for prison or death to wheelchair
athlete playing for the U.S. National Wheelchair Basketball Team.
Keen, Lisa. Out
Law: What LGBT Youth Should Know About Their Legal Rights.
Keen
introduces LGBT youth to their legal rights and provides examples
of young people empowered to stand up for themselves. (YA 306.766
Keen)
Kohl, Jana. A
Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She
Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere.
The
shocking cruelty of legal animal abuse is exposed through the
story of Baby, a poodle who lost a leg after years of mistreatment
at a puppy mill. Rescued by Jana Kohl, they now work together
with celebrity friends and politicians to raise awareness about
animal rights. (636.7 K822r)
McCormick, Patricia.
Sold.
When
13-year-old Lakshmi is sold into prostitution by her stepfather,
she ends up in a brothel in the slums of Calcutta, where her life
becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Although a novel,
this story reflects a situation that many girls around the world
endure today. (YA Fic McCormick)
Menzel, Peter and
Faith D'Aluisio. Hungry
Planet: What the World Eats.
Hungry
Planet is a photo-chronicle of families around the world, the
food they eat, and how uncontrollable forces like poverty, conflict
and globalization affect our most elemental human need –
food. (641.3 M529h)
Mortenson, Greg
and David Oliver Relin. Three
Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at
a Time.
Lost
and near death following an unsuccessful attempt to climb K2,
Mortenson is sheltered and nursed in a remote mountain village.
Out of gratitude, he vows to return to build schools throughout
Pakistan and Afghanistan. (370.95491 M843t)
Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen
Minutes.
Seventeen-year-old
Peter Houghton wakes up one day, loads his backpack with four
guns, walks into the school cafeteria, and kills nine students
and one teacher in the span of nineteen minutes. Why? (Fic Picoult)
Pipher, Mary. The
Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community.
They
come from Laos, Bosnia, Northern Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, and
the former Soviet Union. War-scarred refugees, searching for freedom,
move into cities across the American heartland to face one more
challenge -- adjusting to life in a strange new land. (325.21
P661m)
Pope, Loren. COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES: 40 SCHOOLS THAT
WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT COLLEGES.
Prospective
college students can rely upon Pope’s indispensable guide
to 41 colleges where education rivals that of the Ivy League universities
in producing outstanding graduates.
Rogers, Elizabeth
and Thomas Kostigen. The
Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple
Step at a Time.
Celebrities
Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Aniston, Tim McGraw, Dale Earnhardt,
Jr. and others contribute suggestions of small changes you can
make daily to have a positive impact on the health of our planet.
Learn how you too can live green! (363.7 R631g)
Sheff, David. Beautiful
Boy: A Father's Journey through His Son's Addiction.
A
father’s anguished account of his promising son’s meth
addiction and its painful impact on the entire family is honest,
raw, and full of information about the realities of drug addiction.
(362.299 Sh39b)
Sheff, Nic. Tweak:
Growing Up on Methamphetamines.
Nic
Sheff is destined for a rich life and career until he is derailed
by drugs. This wrenchingly honest account of life as a meth addict
is the companion book to Beautiful Boy. (362.299 Sh393t)
Smith, Jodi R.R.
From
Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Man. (395 Sm61fm)
From
Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Woman. (395 Sm61f)
These
unstuffy guides to good behavior will help young men and women
develop the style and panache to make a good impression in social
and professional circles.
Stern, Jessica.
Terror
in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill.
Seeking
to understand how religious ardor leads to violence, Stern recounts
her dramatic encounters with Christians and Muslims who use terrorism
in the name of God. (303.625 St45t)
Urrea, Luis Alberto.
The
Devil's Highway: A True Story.
Thousands
of illegal immigrants yearly scramble across the U.S.-Mexican
border and into an area of the Arizona desert known as the Devil’s
Highway. Many do not make it out alive. This is the human story
of illegal immigration told with facts, anger, and poetry. (972.1
Ur72d)
Wallis, David, ed.
KILLED CARTOONS: CASUALTIES
FROM THE WAR ON FREE EXPRESSION.
Wallis’
book is full of political cartoons killed before publication.
Each cartoon is accompanied by a brief narrative explaining why
it was considered too controversial for publication.
Walls, Jeannette.
The
Glass Castle: A Memoir.
This
is Jeannette Walls’ memoir of growing up in chaos and poverty
with a family that prized freedom and unconventionality over comfort
and safety. (921 W159AAg)
Wheelan, Charles.
Naked
Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science.
This
intriguing and approachable introduction to the field of economics
is for all readers who have rejected the topic as tedious, boring
and incomprehensible. (330 W56n)
6/18/10
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802