Category Archives: Just for Fun

What We’re Reading Wednesdays: The English & Communications Department Edition!

Posted on by

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s what the Durham Tech English & Communications Department is currently reading and has recently read:

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem book cover
Currently Reading: Marina DelVecchio
Kindred by Octavia Butler book cover
Currently Reading: Sara Heckler
The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth book cover
Currently Reading: Sonny Haynes
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders book cover
Recently Read: Jonathan Cook
The Collected Stories of Carson McCullers by Carson McCullers book cover
Currently Reading: Kris Weberg
Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America’s Class War by Joe Bageant book cover
Recently Read: Sonny Haynes
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood book cover
Currently Re-Reading: Jonathan Cook
Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging ‘70s by Dan Epstein book cover
Recently Read: Sonny Haynes
Rip It Up and Start Again: Post-Punk 1978-1984 by Simon Reynolds book cover
Currently Reading: Kris Weberg
LaRose by Louise Erdrich book cover
Currently Reading: Lea Bingham
Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet
Currently Reading: Jonathan Cook
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer book cover
Currently Reading: Marina DelVecchio

As always, if you’re interested in a 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.

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 Wednesday: The ACA Instructors Edition

Posted on by

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s what the Durham Tech ACA Instructors are currently reading and have recently read:

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni book cover
Recently Read: Shana Curl
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah book cover
Recently Read: Kerry Cantwell
I Love Learning, I Hate School: An Anthropology of College by Susan D. Blum book cover
Currently Reading: Audrey Muhammad
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer book cover
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi book cover
Recently Read: Kerry Cantwell
The List by Martin Fletcher book cover
Recently Read: Lori Heiger
The Neapolitan novels (My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child) by Elena Ferrante book covers
Recently Read: Gabby McCutchen
Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson book cover
Recently Read: Eliza Murphy
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver book cover
Currently Reading: Kerry Cantwell
Schindler's Legacy by Elinor Brecher book cover
Recently Read: Lori Heiger
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond book cover
Currently Reading: Pat Morris
First Impressions by Charlie Lovett book cover
Recently Read: Lori Heiger

As always, if you’re interested in a 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.

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.

Recommended Reading from President Obama

Posted on by

In a New York Times article this week, Michiko Kakutani wrote, “Not since Lincoln has there been a president as fundamentally shaped — in his life, convictions and outlook on the world — by reading and writing as Barack Obama.”  President Obama has talked about books that have been important to him throughout his presidency.  He even shared a list of books that he recently purchased for his eighteen year old daughter, Malia.  Find  inspiration in his recommendations!  The library has many books by his favorite authors and titles that have been meaningful to him. Borrow some today.

Below is a fun, short video from Entertainment Weekly and here is a link to his complete list:

Every book Barack Obama has recommended during his presidency

 

What We Read Wednesday: The Durham Tech Faculty & Staff Best Reads of 2016 Edition

Posted on by

In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here are the best books that Durham Tech faculty and staff read in 2016—

Everybody's Food by Richard Russo book cover
Sea Change by S.M. Wheeler book cover
Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love by Simran Sethi book cover
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova book cover
Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart book cover
As You Wish: Inconcievable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes book cover
Fatherland by Robert Harris book cover
Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and Their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail by Debbie Moderow book cover
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro book cover
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater book cover
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu book cover
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware book cover
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline book cover
The Brothers K by David James Duncan book cover
The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper & Gloria Vanderbilt book cover
The Road to Character by David Brooks book cover
The Russian Debutante's Handbook by Gary Shteyngart book cover
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield book cover
Shantytown U.S.A.: Forgotten Landscapes of the Working Poor by Lisa Goff book cover
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen book cover
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi book cover
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas book cover
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese book cover
Every Little Step: My Story by Bobby Brown book cover
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware book cover
What is the What by Dave Eggers book cover
Drinking Water: A History by James Salzman book cover
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir book cover
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain book cover
Durham Tech Library Book Club Past Selection
The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines book cover
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote book cover
The Martian by Andy Weir book cover
Durham Tech Library Book Club Past Selection
What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell book cover
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty book cover
Modern Romance: An Investigation by Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg book cover
Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms by Tim Tebow book cover
If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name by Heather Lende book cover
Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker book cover
Hild by Nicola Griffith book cover
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Frederik Backman book cover
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner book cover

For Durham Tech Library availability and more details about the 2016 Durham Tech faves, check out the pdf of the book list: Durham Tech 2016 Best Books

You can also check out (literally) the books from the downstairs library display of Durham Tech’s favorite books of 2016.

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.

*Could also be What We Read– recent reads also accepted (and encouraged).

What We’re Reading Wednesdays: The Library Staff Edition

Posted on by

In a (hopefully) repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s what the Durham Tech library staff is reading and has recently read–

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi book cover
Currently Reading: Julie Humphrey–Assistant Library Director
Ghostland by Colin Dickey book cover
Currently Reading: Meredith Lewis– OCC Librarian
The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu book cover
Currently Reading: Toshi Shonek– NDC Librarian
Buddha's Brain by Rick Hanson and Jack Kornfield book cover
Currently Reading: Stephen Brooks– Main Campus Librarian
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett book cover
Recently Read: Irene Laube– Library Director
Sauna Therapy for Detoxification and Healing by Dr. Lawrence Wilson book cover
Currently Reading: Wendy Ramseur– Main Campus Librarian
All Over But the Shouting by Rick Bragg book cover
Currently Reading: Toshi Shonek– NDC Librarian
Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood and Johnnie Christmas book cover
Recently Read: Meredith Lewis–OCC Librarian
Savvy by Ingrid Law book cover
Recently Read: Susan Baker– Main Campus Librarian
Designated Daughters by Margaret Maron book cover
Recently Read: Mary Kennery–Library Technician, OCC & Main Campus
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen book cover
Recently Read: Irene Laube, Library Director
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Currently Reading: Mary Kennery–Library Technician, OCC & Main Campus
The Awkward Yeti website homepage screenshot

Several librarians also enjoy regularly reading The Awkward Yeti, including their current comics on germs in preparation for the new semester.

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

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.

Library Staff Favorites of 2016

Posted on by

Durham Tech Library staff have compiled the best books we read and the best movies we watched this year.  We have featured some of these titles on a display on the lower level of the library.  Come check out a book or movie to reward yourself during finals week or to enjoy over winter break. Happy reading and watching!  best of the year ribbon

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Luke Cage in the Library

Posted on by

It’s been about a month since season 1 of Luke Cage was released on Netflix. So, obviously, everyone has finished it by now, right? Yes? No? Either way this post is spoiler free, unless you consider literature references spoilers.

Luke Cage

Luke Cage makes a ton of literary references. It names titles and authors that have made their mark on African American culture, as well as simply nodding to some bestsellers and other well known works. Luke Cage is a well-read man, as are the villains in the show. It’s wonderful to see so many books and authors acknowledged on television for the effect they had on people and culture.

A Luke Cage Syllabus was created by Tara Betts over on BlackNerdProblems.com. If you get the chance to look at it, I highly recommend it. It’s well done and the length of the list is impressive. It also includes notes on when the book was referenced in the show and recommendations for further reading.

Here are a few of the titles from the #LukeCageSyllabus #Season1 that we have at the Durham Tech Library. This isn’t a comprehensive list of the books and authors we have from the list, and if you’d like to read something we don’t have we can get it for you through Interlibrary Loan.

Acres of Skin by Allen M. Hornblum

Acres of Skin by Allen M. Hornblum

 

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Heat's On by Chester Himes

The Heat’s On by Chester Himes

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

Posted on by

Good Morning, Durham Tech!

Surely, I’m not the only one dreaming about a second (and third, and fourth, and fifth…) cup of coffee this morning. Maybe you woke up with energy and pep, good for you! This post is for everyone else who is fantasizing about that smooth, bold, dark ambrosia and who would like to learn more about it while doing so.

Here are three books about coffee available through ebrary. Click on the covers below to read them online, download them to your device, or just stare at the covers for a while imagining you can smell those freshly roasted beans. I won’t judge.

A latte in a white coffee cup.

What Every Child Needs to Know About Coffee by R. Bradley Snyder and Marc Engelsgjerd

Caffeine comprehension level: Only one cup of coffee needed to read and understand this book.

World map in coffee beans.

Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed our World by Mark Pendergrast

Caffeine comprehension level: 2-3 cups of coffee needed to read and understand this book.

Latte in front of coffee beans.

Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention by Yi-Fang Chu (Ed.)

Caffeine comprehension level: 4+ cups of coffee to read and understand this book.

Don’t worry tea lovers! I haven’t forgotten you fundamentally flawed people who prefer tea over coffee in the morning. Here is a book to satisfy your early morning caffeine cravings.

Steaming tea pot.

Tea Classified: A Tealover’s Companion by Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson

Caffeine comprehension level: As many cups of tea as it takes for you to understand that coffee is better this book.

Durham Tech Faculty & Staff’s Best of Summer 2016 Reads

Posted on by

For those who enjoy reading, summer can be a great time to re-read old favorites, discover new authors, or just make a dent in a to-read list.

Click through the slideshow to see Durham Tech Faculty & Staff’s incredibly diverse favorite reads of summer 2016.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

You can check them out for yourself from the display downstairs in the Main Library or by requesting a book through ILL (login through eforms).

Click to see the whole list: Durham Tech Faculty & Staff Best Reads of Summer 2016