About Meredith Lewis

Meredith is a librarian at Durham Tech on both the Main and Orange County Campuses.

What We’re Reading: Durham Tech’s Favorite Food-Themed Books

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

Just a reminder that Durham Tech will be closed Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 23-25.

The Main Campus Library will close at 1:00 on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

Regular hours (library and other) resume on all campuses Monday, Nov. 27.

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech and just in time for the season of eating, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s favorite culinary or food-related reads:

how to cook a wolf by mkf Fisher book cover

Available through ILL (maybe). And a NY Times book review.

blood, bones, & butter by gabrielle hamilton book cover

Available through ILL

bread, wine, chocolate by Simran Sethi book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (S 494.5 .A43 S425 2015)

Available through ILL

some we love, some we hate, some we eat by hal herzog

Available at the Main Campus Library (QL 85 .H47 2010)

Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3618 .E5239 D45 2014)

like water for chocolate by laura esquivel book cover

Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and OCC Libraries (PQ 7298.15 .S638 C6613 1992)

the plant paradox by steven gundry book cover

Available through ILL

it must have been something i ate by jeffrey steingarten book cover

Available through ILL

animal vegetable miracle by barbara kingsolver book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (S 521.5 .A67 K56 2007)

the fruit hunters by adam gollner book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (SB 354.8 .G65 2008)

Available through ILL

The Splendid table's, how to eat supper : recipes, stories, and opinions from public radio's award-winning food show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper book cover

Available through ILL

Available at the Main Campus (TX 723.2 .T86 B83 2006)

Available at the Main Campus (PS 3619 .L6278 S67 2017)

The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table by Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence book cover

Available through ILL

deep run roots by vivian howard book cover

Available at the Main Campus (TX 715.2 .S68 H69 2016)

Life from scratch : a memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin book cover

Available through ILL

kitchen confidential by anthony bourdain book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (TX 649 .B58 A3 2007)

yes chef by marcus samuelsson book cover

Available through ILL

LOL and available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3558 .A6558 H36)

Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL or don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library.

Have any suggestions of books to add to the list? Email Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian.

Is your department, club, campus, committee, or subgroup interested in participating in a What We’re Reading blog post? The goal of the What We’re Reading posts is to highlight books, professional literature, blogs, or any other things you might be currently reading or have recently finished. Contact OCC librarian Meredith Lewis for more information.

What We’re Reading: Get in Trouble

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

Title: Get in Trouble: Stories

Author: Kelly Link

Genre: short stories: magical realism, science fiction

Why did you choose to read this book?

According to the book’s back cover, one of my favorite authors, Michael Chabon, called Kelly Link “the most darkly playful voice in American fiction.”

What did you like about it?

The book delivered “dark playfulness” as promised! I don’t read much magical realism or science fiction, so both of these elements in her writing were refreshing. I think some of the stories are allegorical. Each story contains a thread of humor and absurdity. Continue Reading →

What We’re Reading: Sourdough

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

Available on the New Book Shelf at the Durham Tech Main Campus Library

Title: Sourdough
Author: Robin Sloan
Genre: Uh… contemporary tech fiction with a light touch of magical realism?
Read by: Meredith Lewis (Orange County Campus Librarian) & Courtney Bippley (Main Campus Librarian)

Why did you choose to read this book?

M: Honestly? The description was really interesting– a San Francisco robotics engineer “adopts” a mysterious international sourdough starter and gets involved in a secret underground farmer’s market. With a weirdo plot like that, this book could have been really charming or really stupid. (Spoiler: It was super charming.)

C: Meredith told me about it and said it was a happy book. I hadn’t read a happy book in a long time so that was very appealing.

What did you like about it?

M: I’ve been not-unfairly accused of reading too many sad and depressing books this year. (But they were good depressing books!) I needed something lighter and happier and this book fit that bill perfectly. The characters weren’t evil, the plot was interesting, the outcome was satisfying– it just worked. And it was happy! I read most of it with a bit of a grin on my face. (How often do you get to say that about a book?)

C:

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

M: It kinda reminded me a little of Strega Nona and Like Water for Chocolate, but that’s only because the sourdough starter takes on a life of its own.

C: It reminded me of the 1999 movie Simply Irresistible. The movie was more of a romance than this book was but the theme of a [magical item here] helping your cooking skills and your life is similar.

Who would you recommend the book to?

M: Anyone who likes food novels, contemporary fiction, or pretty much anyone– it really was a great book. In fact, I think I have recommended it to almost everyone.

C: Anyone who likes easy reads and magical realism. Or who just wants a nice palate cleanser book.

What would you pair this book with?

M: Some fresh sourdough. Duh. (Preferably non-sentient.)

C: A trip to the farmer’s market and some spicy take-out.

What We’re Reading Wednesday: Favorite Spooky Reads for Halloween

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s favorite spooky or scary reads:

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty book cover

Available through ILL

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann book cover

Available at the Orange County Campus Library

Available through ILL

Available at the Orange County Campus Library (PS 3569 .E5836 O45 2006)

Tarheel Ghosts by John Harden book cover

Available through archive.org

Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3561 .I483 P4 1983)

Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3558 .A6558 H36 2000)

the amityville horror by Jay Anson book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (BF 1517 .U6 A57 1977)

Bunnicula by James & Deborah Howe book cover

Available through ILL.

Available at the Main Campus Library (PQ 9281 .A66 E6813 1999)

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

Available in my nightmares and through ILL

Available through ILL. Find other Stephen King books on all campuses at PS 3561 .I483.

Wytches, Vol. 1 by Scott Snyder book cover

Available soon at the Orange County Campus Library

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski book cover

Available through ILL

Available through ILL

Available at the Main and Orange County Campus Libraries when not checked out (PS 3561 .I483 I8)

Available at the Main Campus Library (PZ 7.7 .C369 Th 2014)

Available through ILL. Find other Stephen King books on all campuses at PS 3561 .I483.

As always, if you’re interested in a title or related title, you can either use the call number provided to locate it in the library or request it through interlibrary loan if we don’t have it. Need help doing either of these things or don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library!

Have any suggestions of books to add to the list? Email Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian.

What We’re Reading: And the Mountains Echoed

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

Title: And the Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Genre: fiction

What did you like about it?

Through various characters from 1952 until the current decade, it provides different views of Afghanistan. Some characters are born there and leave; some are not from there, but end up there; and others spend their entire lives there.

The book portrays Afghanistan as a place of poverty in relation to the West, of hardship and suffering; and that is even before the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. After decades of constant struggle, internally as well as externally, Afghanis face a difficult prospect of rebuilding. The ravages of war have destroyed physical and political infrastructures and inflicted great suffering, especially on women and children.

The characters all have some relation to one another (whether they know it or not). The prime motive for each character is love: familial as well as doctor/patient and chauffeur/rich employer. Continue Reading →

What We’re Reading: The Radium Girls

Posted on September 20, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore book cover

Available at Main Campus on the New Book Shelf

Title: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
Author: Kate Moore
Genre: Historical Nonfiction

Why did you choose to read this book? Well, I’d heard a lot about it. I tend to like historical nonfiction that tells the stories of groups of people who maybe aren’t as known in American history. I read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann earlier this year (also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and realized not for the first time how many pieces of American history I just am not aware of. This was filling in a gap in my knowledge with a really engaging book. (Clarification: Horrible events. Engaging book.)

What did you like about it? Despite being a sad book because the events that happened to these women in order to get justice and make change in the way radiation was treated in America and the American work environment, I did like it because, unlike some other historical nonfiction, it seems as though the industry actually learned from their mistakes and made real changes that positively impacted the workers so they’d stop dying en-masse after-the-fact from radiation poisoning. Well, they learned eventually…once men started coming down with cancers due to radiation poisoning, too. …

Another thing I really liked about it was the author’s profound respect for the women who suffered and fought to get the radium industry to recognize that their product was dangerous. They weren’t just characters in an interesting story to her; they were real people who suffered and fought for what was right and just despite numerous hurdles.

Who would you recommend the book to? I’d recommend it to anyone who is interested in underreported American historical events. Or anyone who wonders why we have to do the chemical safety training at the beginning of each year/class that involves chemicals.

What would you pair this book with? A radiation suit and a steaming mug of justice.

Library Benefits from Middle Eastern Studies Grant

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

Thanks to a grant that earmarked $3000 for library resources, the Durham Tech library expanded its collections of Middle East-related materials. The grant was funded by the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studie s.

Continue Reading →

What We Read Wednesdays: The Durham Tech Faculty & Staff Summer Edition

Posted on August 16, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s favorite reads of summer 2017:

the spirit catches you and you fall down

sam phillips the man who invented rock 'n' roll

Available at the Main Campus Library

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers book cover

As always, if you’re interested in a title, check out the master list of the books below and their availability to see if you can find it at Durham Tech or if you’ll need to request it through interlibrary loan (find this request under eforms). Need help doing either of these things or don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library.

Here’s the list of Durham Tech’s favorite summer reads (and their availability) in pdf format: Durham Tech’s Summer 2017 Best Books

What We’re Reading Watching Wednesdays: The Great British Baking Show

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting thematic reading opportunities around Durham Tech, here are some awesome cookbooks or cooking-related books to go along with your summer viewing of the greatest reality TV show of all time* The Great British Baking Show (starting June 16, Fridays starting at 9pm on PBS).

All of these books and films are available on at least one Durham Tech Library campus.

smitten kitchen cookbook by deb perelman book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library (TX 714 .P443 2012 )

Dearie : the remarkable life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz book cover

TX 649 .C47 S65 2012 (Available at Main)

Available at the Main Campus (TX 723.2 .T86 B83 2006)

The whole30 : the 30-day guide to total health and food freedom by Melissa & Dallas Hartwig book cover

RA 784 .H373 2015 (Available at OCC- New Book shelf)

DVD PN 1997.2 .C44 2014 (Available at Main & Northern Durham)

kitchens of the great midwest by J. Ryan Stradal book cover

PS 3619 .T722 K58 2015 (Available at Main)

mama dips family cookbook by mildred council book cover

TX 715 .C8582 2005 (Available at Main & OCC)

koreatown: a cookbook by Deuki Hong & Matt Rodbard book cover

TX 724.5 .K65 H66 2016 (Available at Main)

DVD PN 1997.2 .H3 H861 2014 (Available at Main, Northern Durham, and OCC)

TX 714 .T43 2016 (Available at OCC)

Comfort me with apples : more adventures at the table by ruth Reichl book cover

TX 649 .R45 A3 2001 (Available at Main)

The how can it be gluten free cookbook : revolutionary techniques, groundbreaking recipes by america's test kitchen book cover

RM 237.86 .U48 2014 (Available at Main)

The easy vegan cookbook : make healthy home cooking practically effortless by kathy hester book cover

TX 837 .H473 2015 (Available at Main)

TX 757 .M38 2016 (Available at Main)

Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and OCC Libraries (PQ 7298.15 .S638 C6613 1992)

As always, if you’re interested in a title or related title, you can either search our catalog to see if we have the book or request it through interlibrary loan if we don’t have it. Need help doing either of these things or don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library.

Have any suggestions of books to add to the list? Email Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian.

*I’m not even a tiny bit objective here. This is my favorite reality tv show and, perhaps, my favorite TV show. I love it.

What We’re Reading Watching Wednesdays: The Bachelorette

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Meredith Lewis

In a repeating series highlighting thematic reading opportunities around Durham Tech, here are some awesome romantic or love-related books to go along with your summer viewing of The Bachelorette (Mondays at 8pm on ABC)

Yay!