Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

A vacation is...

...what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking. 

Spring Break is almost here. Whether you are vacationing in Cancun or planning the Staycation of your dreams. Why not take one of our new additions for some fun reading? Check these out:

Jay-Z, . Decoded. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2010. Print. [Call #782.42164 J42d 2010]
An excerpt: "When I first started working on this book, I told my editor that I wanted it to do three important things. The first was to make the case that hip-hop lyrics-not just my lyrics, but those of every great MC-are poetry if you look at them closely enough. The second was I wanted the book to tell a little bit of the story of my generation, to show the context for the choices we made at a violent and chaotic crossroads in recent history.  And the third piece was that I wanted the book to show how hip-hop created a way to take a very specific and powerful experience and turn it into a story that everyone in the world could feel and relate to."


Reagan, Ron. My Father at 100. New York: Viking, 2011. Print. [Call #973.927 R287re 2011]

The son of Ronald and Nancy Reagan presents an assessment of his father's life that features his childhood observations of the qualities that rendered the future fortieth president a powerful leader.

Cole, Teju. Open City: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2011. Print. [Call #Fiction: C689o]

Feeling adrift after ending a relationship, Julius, a young Nigerian doctor living in New York, takes long walks through the city while listening to the stories of fellow immigrants until a shattering truth is revealed.





Palumbi, Stephen R, and Carolyn Sotka. The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival. Washington, D.C: Island Press, 2011. Print. [Call #333.72 P184d 2011]

Monterey began as a natural paradise, but became the poster child for industrial devastation in John Steinbeck's Cannery Row, and is now one of the most celebrated shorelines in the world. Monterey is thriving because of an eccentric mayor who wasn't afraid to use pistols, axes, or the force of law to protect her coasts. It is because of fishermen who love their livelihood, scientists who are fascinated by the sea's mysteries, and philanthropists and community leaders willing to invest in a world-class aquarium. The shores of Monterey Bay revived because of human passion-passion that enlivens every page of this hopeful book.


Heinrich, Bernd. The Nesting Season: Cuckoos, Cuckolds, and the Invention of Monogamy. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2010. Print. [Call #598.156 H469n 2010]

One of the world's great naturalists and nature writers, Heinrich shows us how the sensual beauty of birds can open our eyes to a hidden evolutionary process. Nesting, as Heinrich explores it here, encompasses what fascinates us most about birds- from their delightful songs and spectacular displays to their varied eggs and colorful plumage; from their sex roles and mating rituals to nest parasitism, infanticide, and predation.What moves birds to mate and parent their young in so many different ways is what interests Heinrich- and his insights into the nesting behavior of birds has more than a little to say about our own.


Zelizer, Viviana A. R. Economic Lives: How Culture Shapes the Economy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011. Print. [Call # 306.3 Z49e 2011]

Economic Lives shows how shared cultural understandings and interpersonal relations shape everyday economic activities. Far from being simple response to narrow individual incentives and preferences, economic actions emerge, persist, and are transformed by our relations to others




Coggan, Philip. Guide to Hedge Funds: What They Are, What They Do, Their Risks, Their Advantages. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Print. [Call #332.645 C676g 2011]

Hedge fund managers are the new "masters of the universe." The best earn more than $1 billion a year and are so sought after that they can afford to turn investor money away. The funds they run have, to some extent, established an alternative financial system, replacing banks as lenders to risky companies, acting as providers of liquidity to markets and insurers of last resort for risks such as hurricanes, and replacing pension funds and mutual funds as the most significant investors in many companies-even in some cases buying companies outright. The revised and updated second edition of this lively guide sheds much needed light on the world of hedge funds by explaining what they are, what they do, who the main players are, the regulations affecting them, the arguments as to whether they are a force for good or bad, and what the future holds for them.


Title Quote: Earl Wilson.
Images: WorldCat

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Let the library set you up on a blind date!

Blind Date Corner @ Shake Library
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Shake Library has entered the matchmaking business. No, not in the sense of helping people romantically. Instead we challenge you to go on a blind date with one of our favorite books, sight unseen. 
That’s right, pick out a wrapped book from our display at the circulation desk. Don’t worry… they’ve each got a little profile to give you a hint of what’s in store for you. Want to take a peek? Head over to our Facebook page and look at their profiles in our photo album. 
Loved it, hated it? Tell us what you thought by emailing us your review to libref@vinu.edu. We’ll post them on our FB page at the end of the week.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Pets, Lincoln, Edison, and Chocolate!

This weekend is shaping up to be a busy one for big celebrations.

You may have already seen the Google doodle for today commemorating Thomas Edison's 164th birthday.


At Shake library you can explore lots of Edison's inventions from the light-bulb to the electric chair. Why not flip through his biography in our ebook collection?

  • Dyer, Frank L. Edison, His Life and Inventions. Champaign, Ill: Project Gutenberg, 1990. Ebook.

Image: Worldcat
Tomorrow we celebrate Lincoln's birthday! There's no shortage of books on him in our library (over 100 so far). Newly published is Richard Campanella's treatment of Lincoln's Flatboat Voyages which took him through Vincennes!

Campanella, Richard. Lincoln in New Orleans: The 1828-1831 Flatboat Voyages and Their Place in History. Lafayette: University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, 2010.


In 1876 the abolitionist Frederick Douglass observed, "No man can say anything that is new of Abraham Lincoln." but that hasn't stopped scholars from continuing to explore the legacy of this incredible president. Curious to know more? You might want to check out Our Lincoln: New Perspectives on Lincoln and His World (New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2008.) by Eric Foner. Here you'll find essay's on Lincoln's views on race and citizenship, political acumen, his literary style, religious beliefs, and family life. 

Well, enough about these individuals, let's turn to this Monday's Valentine's day festivities. Whether you are eagerly anticipating the holiday or generally dreading the influx of red & pink, you'll find some great resources in the library. Such as: 

Critical Thinking About Sex, Love, and Romance in the Mass Media by  Mary-Lou Galician &  Debra L. Merskin. (Media Literacy Applications. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007.) This book explores how romantic coupleship is represented in books, magazines, popular music, movies, television, and the Internet within entertainment, advertising, and news/information. 

Image: Worldcat
not interested? Well how about....Mort Rosenblum's Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light. (New York: North Point Press, 2005.)

Science, over recent years, has confirmed what chocolate lovers have always known: the stuff is actually good for you. It's the Valentine's Day drug of choice, has more antioxidants than red wine, and triggers the same brain responses as falling in love. Nothing, in the end, can stand up to chocolate as a basic fundament to human life. In this scintillating narrative, acclaimed foodie Mort Rosenblum delves into the complex world of chocolate. From the mole poblano--chile-laced chicken with chocolate--of ancient Mexico to the contemporary French chocolatiers who produce the palets d'or--bite-sized, gold-flecked bricks of dark chocolate--to the vast empires of Hershey, Godiva, and Valrhona, Rosenblum follows the chocolate trail the world over. He visits cacao plantations, meets with growers, buyers, makers, and tasters, and investigates the dark side of the chocolate trade as well as the enduring appeal of its product. (Publisher's Description)

Whatever you celebrate over the next 3-4 days don't forget that this month is Responsible Pet Owner Month!

Do you know how to protect your pets in an emergency?  Click here for information from the CDC



Friday, November 19, 2010

“Thanksgiving, man! Not a good day to be my pants."


You're almost there... Thanksgiving break is just around the corner and you can do it!
Hopefully you are planning to enjoy the break, eat some great Thanksgiving food and relax. Before you head out of town, why not check out some of the cool materials we have at the library?

We have traditional fare for Thanksgiving:

Baker, James W. Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday. Durham, N.H: University of New Hampshire Press, 2009. [Call No. 394.2649 B167t 2009]

This is the first in-depth study of the most American of holidays, the author sweeps away lingering myths and misconceptions to show how this celebration day was born and grew to be an essential part of our national spirit.

Curtin, Kathleen, and Sandra L. Oliver. Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2005.

This book explores the delicious, fascinating history of Thanksgiving, complete with trivia, recipes, and an amazing collection of archival imagery of the holiday's history.

We also have a few non-traditional choices as well...

Westhoff, Patrick C. The Economics of Food: How Feeding and Fueling the Planet Affects Food Prices. Upper Saddle River, N.J: FT Press, 2010.

What are the hidden relationships between the food on your plate and the gas in your car? Will economic recovery lead directly to massive inflation in both food and energy? What do food prices have to do with world hunger? Find out here!

Wissing, Douglas A. Indiana: One Pint at a Time : a Traveler's Guide to Indiana Breweries. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 2010.

This year, Doug spoke on the VU campus about his experiences in Afghanistan. Here's his newest book about something completely different! A travel guide to our craft breweries, interweaving their stories with Indiana architecture, ethnicity, and regional specificity, connecting the dynamics of today with the luster of the past.

We want you to be safe too... so here's a link to Let's Talk Turkey—A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey: Every facet of getting a turkey from the store to the dinner table is included—buying fresh vs. frozen, safe thawing methods, stuffing, roasting, storing leftover turkey and reheating the leftovers.

We also want you to impress your family and friends... especially that know-it-all-uncle!

Thanksgiving Facts and Statistics  – Last year, the major pumpkin-producing states brought us 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins. Read more Thanksgiving fun facts from the Census Bureau.

and here's a lesson with some "real world" use: Turkey Carving 101.



We also want you to be healthy during the holiday... Check out PubMed articles about the effects of the holidays on our health:

Hull HR, Hester CN, Fields DA. The effect of the holiday season on body weight and composition in college students. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2006;3:44. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-3-44.

If you're staying on campus... don't despair!

VU Campus Thanksgiving Dinner -Harrison Hall Basement. 11am-1pm November 25th. Eat Thanksgiving Lunch with CCF! They would like to send a warm invitation out for RA's, Campus Police, International Students, VU Maintenance & VU faculty/staff. Join them for a great meal on campus! The meal is fully provided and completely free!Sponsored by Christian Campus Fellowship (882-1261).

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Source: Title Quote by Kevin James

Monday, November 15, 2010

I'm looking over your shoulder... only because I've got your back.

Meet our new librarian!

She's new! Well.. kinda new... since August new... Whatever, you should meet her!
Name: Ariela Berstein

Job title: Information Services Librarian

Location in Shake Library: Shake Library Room 117, the Reference desk, wandering the Computer Commons,  fighting the vending machine.

Tell us what you do in 75 words or less: I deal with electronic databases & make sure they work. I buy materials [books, dvds etc.] for the Business/Public Services and Technology divisions. I go into classes & show students our resources & how to get an A on an assignment. I do website maintenance, beta testing, & I run our Facebook page too [Like us!]. I also work on the reference desk answering people’s questions in person, on the phone, via chat or email.
Choose one service that your department provides that you want the VU community to be aware of: Group study rooms! We have two nice study rooms you can check out for 4 hours. They’re great for groupwork or when you need to practice a presentation.

What is your favorite website? www.thedoghousediaries.com . I love these comics! They are hilarious and I eagerly anticipate their musings on all manner of things: From color swatches to their commentary on the love life of sandwiches
.
What is your favorite book in the Shake Library collection? Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (C527g, 1st floor -fiction) has been a favorite for a number of years. I love the mix of history, art and mystery. I also love movies and music and I’m really excited about two new books we got at the library. Sondheim on music: minor details and major decisions by Mark Eden Horowitz. (782.14 S698h 2010) and Complete guide to film scoring: the art and business of writing music for movies and TV by Richard Davis (781.542 D263c 2010). The second looks at the history of film scores, how the process works, and also has interviews with some of the most amazing composers today.

When I'm not at work, you can find me... Stuffing my face, planning vacations (5 continents and counting!), on ColbertNation, donating via Kiva, or teaching myself to play guitar.
One thing few people know about you… I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Title Source: the Colbert Report.