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.

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:

Available through ILL.

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

Available soon at the Orange County Campus Library

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

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

Available through ILL

Available through ILL

Available through ILL

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

Available at the Orange County Campus Library

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

Available in my nightmares and through ILL

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

Available through ILL

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

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

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

Available through archive.org

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.

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.

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:

Available at the Main Campus Library

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

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.