| Marquette University | April 2006 |
Celebrate National Library Week @ Raynor Memorial Libraries. This fifth issue of the Libraries' newsletter for readers is dedicated to all the readers and library lovers on campus. Our goal is to identify a broad range of contemporary fiction and nonfiction for the general reader. Staff from throughout the libraries contributed recommendations, enhanced by recent prizewinners and new books by faculty. All readers in the Marquette community are invited to suggest books, or better, to write a brief review for Ex Libris. If you missed an alert, the November (vacation reading) and December (Narnia books) issues of Ex Libris are available online. Clicking on the title or cover image will take you to the book's MARQCAT record; please note locations carefully as items may be in the Browsing Collection (Raynor 1st level) or in the Memorial stacks. Books that are checked out may be reserved by clicking on the blue button at the top or bottom of the MARQCAT record. |
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas (Villard, 2003) This hilarious, critically-acclaimed book provides keen insight into what it's like to grow up as an immigrant in the U.S. Dumas and her family moved from Iran to California in 1972 when she was seven years old. The author describes how they adjusted to American life—learning the language and customs, at times both challenging and humorous. Dumas is a witty and observant storyteller as she details how she and her family were perceived by Americans and vice-versa. A warm and insightful book, Funny in Farsi was a 2005 finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Recommended by Rose Trupiano, Research & Outreach Librarian |
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Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Crown Publishers, 2005) Self-proclaimed “ordinary” woman Amy Krouse Rosenthal has written a delightfully non-traditional autobiography. Rosenthal collected, in encyclopedia format, observations and snippets about her life, from her first word to musings on motherhood. The odd and often random occurrences of her life range from inconsequential to profound—her fear of getting a shoe caught in the escalator, contesting a parking ticket based on karma, her sister-in-law's death during childbirth, and her son's accident. This extraordinary book offers a quirky and fun look into an ordinary life. Recommended by Tiffany Wait, Library Intern |
The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins, 2005) Louise Erdrich's tenth novel explores how the loss of children, as well as the threat of such a loss, impacts those who are left behind. Told in three parts that could stand on their own as short stories, each section is narrated by a different character—a technique Erdrich has employed in many of her previous novels. The novel opens with the discovery of a huge painted and embellished drum in a New Hampshire estate by antiques dealer Faye Travers, who lives in the shadow of her sister's death as a child. The stories are intertwined through tribal history and the story of the drum, which serves as a conduit between the living and spirit worlds. The narrative travels back in time in the second section, with Bernard Shaawano, a tribal medical technician, telling the story of the drum's construction by his grandfather as a means of dealing with grief at the loss of a child. In the novel's final section, the drum's beating call has a major impact on the lives of three children left alone in a freezing home on the reservation. Readers will be deeply moved by Erdrich's lyrical and powerful tale. Recommended by Michelle Sweetser, Archivist
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Laughin' Boy by Bradley Denton (Subterranean Press, 2005) Imagine your life if uncontrollable laughter suddenly became your response to witnessing the horrific. Danny Clayton survives a terrorist attack, but video of his apparent hilarity immediately turns him into a pariah, vilified for his insensitivity. Threats follow, and soon he and his fellow "freaks" Porno Girl and the Racist Ranger (dubbed "the Odd Squad") become pawns in the government's plan to track the terrorists. Amazingly written before the 9-11 attacks, this brilliant, darkly humorous novel skewers the media's response to terrorism in a spot-on parody of the wackiness wrought by instant communications and the Internet. Look for favorite (and least favorite) media celebs in thinly-disguised cameos. While often hilarious, Laughin' Boy is also a tragic, relentless critique of how our news morphs into cruelty-driven entertainment (think Springer and “American Idol”)—and how we stoke that fire ourselves. It's another bravura performance by the author of the equally haunting Blackburn (1993) and Lunatics (1996), tackling controversial subjects with a jaundiced eye. The grotesque irony of grimness causing laughter will stay with you and forever haunt your television consumption. Recommended by Bill Gagliani, Stacks Supervisor
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Girls of Tender Age: A Memoir by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith (Free Press, 2006) “There will be no speaking of Irene.” With these words from the fifth-grade teacher, Irene's desk is removed from the classroom. Mary-Ann (Mickey) Tirone does not yet know her playmate is dead but soon finds out on her own. True to the early 1950s ethos of obeying adult authority figures, no one speaks of Irene until Mary-Ann mentions her briefly in a seventh-grade essay, shocking the teacher and students. Irene's death is suppressed until the early 2000s when, responding to novelist Smith's brief reminiscence in the local paper, Irene's surviving brother contacts her. The emotional logjam breaks and Smith's crisply written part-memoir, part-crime story is born. Alternating between tales of growing up in Hartford, Connecticut and details of the unfolding life of career criminal Robert Malm, the two stories meet and intertwine on the night of Dec 9, 1953, when 11-year-old Irene encounters her murderer. The book then becomes the author's hunt for details surrounding Irene's death at the hands of Malm. The book wanders a bit from the central traumatic event, but the author can be forgiven because of her clearly intense need to finally explore the tragedy of Irene's murder. Fans of Smith's fiction will especially appreciate revisiting the vividly-evoked, early post-World War II milieu and Hartford environs, which are often subjects of her work. Recommended by Steven Blackwood, Access Services
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Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster, 2005) Jimmy Carter's latest book is a welcome addition to the debate on some of the hot-button issues of today, such as stem cell research, gun control, abortion, the environment, American foreign policy, civil liberties, and poverty. He warns against blurring the line between church and state, partisan politics, and political and religious fundamentalism which are transforming values of peace, human rights, and economic and social justice. Carter touches upon his own spiritual journey, recounts actions and decisions he made as president, and highlights the work he has done in the fight against global poverty to put forth a compelling argument. Carter reminds the reader of the values upon which the United States has long stood and provides a warning about the direction the country is taking. Our Endangered Values is a thoughtful and provocative book worthy of consideration. Recommended by Jean Zanoni, Head, Bibliographic Control
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Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott (Pantheon Books, 1999) Hearing Anne Lamott speak at Marquette University in 2004 sparked my interest to read her 1999 non-fiction book, Traveling Mercies. As a speaker, Lamott was dynamic, perceptive, witty, smart, and down-to-earth. I am happy to say that her book projects all of these same qualities as she writes about growing up in a dysfunctional family and about her battles with alcoholism and drugs. She is clean and sober now and, through all her hardships, has come to believe in God. Writing about her spiritual journey, Lamott's reflections about her faith and belief in God are refreshingly unique since she is also a self-proclaimed left-wing hippie and radical. Lamott writes about how God has worked in her life and her observations are insightful and often humorous. Recommended by Rose Trupiano, Research & Outreach Librarian
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Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson (Bantam Books, 2005) This is a disaster novel, but the disaster is more the setting than the focus, and it could be considered a coming-of-age story, although it is about a man in his forties. The novel picks up where Robinson's Forty Signs of Rain (2004) ended, with Washington, DC, recovering from horrendous floods and looking like present-day New Orleans. Fifty Degrees Below focuses primarily on Frank Vanderwal, a National Science Foundation scientist, who is trying to further international efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. Through his contacts with a variety of people (other NSF scientists, homeless people living in a large DC park, and Tibetan Buddhists) and because of a head injury, Vanderwal experiences major personal development. Although Robinson's style is often intellectual, his strength is a remarkable knack for portraying the ordinary and the interconnectedness of things. Reading Forty Signs first helps to understand events in this novel, but is not essential. Recommended by Valerie Beech, Research & Outreach Librarian
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The Plausibility of Life: Resolving Darwin's Dilemma, by Marc W. Kirschner and John C. Gerhart (Yale University Press, 2005) Charles Darwin explained his theory of evolution, the The Origin of Species, as a consequence of both natural selection and genetic variation. He thoroughly explained how natural selection works, but could not adequately explain genetic variation because of the limited scientific knowledge at the time. This popular science book addresses that question. The authors' premise is that genetic variation is not completely random; instead there is “facilitated variation” of core processes, mostly at the cellular or molecular level. Once the blueprint for a particular process developed, it was conserved and reused again and again. The variation in species observed in any zoo occurs because of when, for how long, and where a core cellular process is used in the development of an organism. The authors obviously offered this book as a response to intelligent design and while it will not settle that controversy, it can help lay readers to better understand the arguments of scientists. The book's strength lies in its explanation of various cellular processes and the descriptions of how scientists learned these things. Recommended by Valerie Beech, Research & Outreach Librarian
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Books About Books More Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason by Nancy Pearl (Sasquatch Books, 2005) Seattle librarian Pearl has compiled a handy little paperback follow-up to her best-selling Book Lust (2003). Pearl presents over 1,000 new books in nearly 120 clever and surprising reading lists in a thoughtful style that seems like friends talking books over coffee. Sometimes using simple lists, sometimes explaining the attraction of a certain title in a sentence or so, she displays an amazing knowledge of world literature. Some predictable categories include small town life, fiction for foodies, “maiden voyages” (first novels), and nature writing. Some of the unexpected are even wacky—parrots, wayward wives, gallivanting in the graveyard, and time travel. I like her chapters on authors too good to miss—Bill Bryson, David Halberstam, Walter Mosley, P. G. Wodehouse, and more. Pearl describes herself as a “readaholic” and a jacket blurb labels her “the librarian version of a rock star”—these books will be a goldmine for even the pickiest reader. Recommended by Susan Hopwood, Outreach Librarian |
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E. L. Doctorow won the 2006 PEN/Faulkner Award for his novel The March, (Random House, 2005), about General Sherman 's 1864-65 march through Georgia and the Carolinas. The committee praised the novel's “elegant prose, visionary historical sweep and remarkable characterization.” The annual National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced in March, honoring the finest books published in English during the previous year. Doctorow's novel, The March, headed the list, along with Francine du Plessix Gray's autobiography, Them: A Memoir of Parents (Penguin, 2005). Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich (Dalkey Archive Pess, 2005) took the nonfiction prize and Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Knopf, 2005) won the prize for biography. William Logan's The Undiscovered Country: Poetry in the Age of Tin (Columbia University Press, 2005) won the award in the criticism category. |
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Ex Libris congratulates faculty authors of new books. This round-up of English-language books has been gleaned from MU Writes. The Libraries' Department of Special Collections maintains an archive of publications by faculty, staff, and alumni and encourages their donation to the Libraries for future generations. See more about the collection or call Archivist Matt Blessing at (414) 288-5901. Click on the link to see the MARQCAT record, including location, call number, and more about each title. Please alert the Libraries to your new publications by entering the bibliographic information in the “MU Writes” section of “News From You." |
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Advertising Strategy: Creative Tactics from the Outside/In (Sage Publications, 2006) by Thomas B. Altstiel, Lecturer and Jean Grow, Assistant Professor, Advertising and Public Relations |
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Childhood and Child Welfare in the Progressive Era: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford/St. Martins, 2005) by James A. Marten, Professor and Chair, Department of History |
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Discovering the Ancient Past: A Look at the Evidence (Houghton Mifflin, 2004) by Julius R. Ruff (et. al), Professor, Department of History |
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| Ethical Marketing (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005) by Gene R. Laczniak (et. al), Professor, Marketing Department | |||
| Ethics and Nostalgia in the Contemporary Novel (Cambridge University Press, 2005) by John Su, Assistant Professor, Department of English | |||
| The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2006) by Benjamin Percy, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of English | |||
Milwaukee Stories (Marquette University Press, 2005) by Thomas J. Jablonsky, Associate Professor, Department of History |
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| A Moral Creed for All Christians (Fortress Press, 2005) by Daniel C. Maguire, Professor, Department of Theology | |||
Race & Family: A Structural Approach (Sage Publications, 2006) by Roberta L. Coles, Associate Professor, Social and Cultural Sciences |
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The Religion Guarantees: A Reference Guide to the United States Constitution (Praeger, 2005) by Peter K. Rofes, Professor and Associate Dean, Law School |
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The Social Authority of Reason: Kant's Critique, Radical Evil, and the Destiny of Humankind (State University of New York Press, 2005) by Philip J. Rossi, S.J., Professor, Department of Theology |
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The Task of the Interpreter: Text, Meaning, and Negotiation (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2005) by Pol G. Vandevelde, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy |
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Ex Libris is published online occasionally Managing Editor: Susan Hopwood Tell us what you think! Want to contribute your recommendation? © 2006 Marquette University -- Last Update: March 30, 2006 |
