Tag Archives: wwrw

What We’re Reading: The Influencing Machine

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The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media. Written by Brooke Gladstone and illustrated by Josh Neufeld

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Main Campus Library.

Title: The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media
Author: Brooke Gladstone and illustrated by Josh Neufeld

Genre: Social Science, Graphic Novel, Historical Overview

#ReadGreatThings2019 Category: A social science book; A book about technology; A book that will help you with one of your personal goals [if increasing your media literacy is one of your goals]

Check out our blog post on the Read Great Things 2019 Challenge. 

Why did you choose to read this book?W

Meredith: Well, Courtney recommended it to me. Since this book is about the history of the press/media and how it gets made and influenced in our modern world, I was especially interested from an information literacy standpoint. I mean, knowing how our news gets made matters, right? [Spoiler: The argument made in this book is yes.]

What did you like about it? 

Meredith: In general, I’m interested in learning about the history and contexts of things and this book really goes into (in a pleasant visual format) how media and government have this push-pull (repeat) relationship. I really like how Brooke Gladstone (an NPR journalist) investigates things that go into our modern media marketplace like money, bias, and information overload. She also calls out problematic practices in journalism. 

What feeling did the book leave you with?

Meredith: It left me feeling optimistic, actually! I genuinely believe that the world is full of the capacity for positive change and being informed and aware of the biases and structures around us matters and can help contribute towards making those positive changes.  

Image from page xxii of Brooke Gladstone's The Influencing Machine (illustrated by Josh Neufeld): Back in 1922, Walter Lippman wrote..."Let him cast a stone who never passed on as the real inside trugh what he had heard someone say who knew no more than he did. For the real environment is altogether too big, too complex, and too fleeting for direct acquaintance. And although we have to act in that environment, we have to reconstruct it on a simpler model before we can manage with it." But now, with most of the media's resources at our fingertips, we can seek beyond mediated interpretations of events. We can choose how much to simplify our worldview. When coverage is contradictory or confusing, we can read the original documents, or track down a dubious claim to its source... ...or seek sensible views outside out comfort zone. It's risky. John Dewey once said, "Anyone who has begun to think places some portion of the world in jeopardy." But, as Spider-Man once said (quoting his Uncle Ben), "With great power comes great responsibility."

What We’re Reading: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

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The rise and fall of the dinosaurs: A new history of a lost world by steve brusatte

This book was read by Meredith Lewis, the [mostly] Orange County Campus Librarian, and is available for checkout at the Orange County Campus Library.

Title: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
Author: Steve Brusatte

Genre: Popular Science, General Dinosaur Awesomeness

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A popular science book; A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [this historical event took place a few million years ago]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Because dinosaurs are awesome?

Seriously though, I have a four-year-old friend who was telling me about all these dinosaurs that I never heard of. When I saw this book was coming out, I thought, “Self, if this isn’t a dragging and dull science-y book, you should pick that up because you’re not interested in watching Dinosaur Train (the PBS Kids TV show), but you do want to learn more about dinosaurs.” It was AWESOME, although I listened to the audiobook, so I missed out on the pictures. [The OCC copy is in print and full of pictures. I’d recommend this format over the audiobook for even more enjoyment.]

What did you like about it?

I’m going to make a list here:

  1. It’s an engaging history book–in this case, the history of the Earth through its prehistoric times and then after the extinction of the dinosaurs, which I knew very little about. 

  2. It goes into all the newer discoveries about dinosaurs that additional fossils have brought to light, especially regarding how dinosaurs differently evolved after the splitting apart of Pangaea. There are even vignettes where the author goes into, based on fossil evidence, that show how the dinosaurs likely interacted with each other.

  3. It has stuff about the fossil record and how paleontologists use it to draw conclusions and also how fossils are/were discovered and used.

  4. It has an international perspective of dinosaurs, which is cool because while T-Rex’s arms actually were used for something (though, yes, very short), a Brazilian big guy actually did have pretty much non-functional arms. Evolution is fascinating!

  5. It highlights a field in science I wasn’t that familiar with and name drops all these cool paleontologists that I’d never heard of before, but I’m super glad I know of them now.

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

Am I allowed to say Jurassic Park here? Because of course. [Yes, I am allowed to say Jurassic Park.]

What feeling did the book leave you with?

Well, I’m really excited about dinosaurs.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who likes science or scientists and delving deeper into what people who “do” science actually do to gather their research. Anyone looking for a grown-up book about dinosaurs. Seriously. It was great. I’m going to buy it for several people for the holidays (and upcoming birthdays… and all occasions I can think of).

What would you pair this book with?

A continued appreciation of those awesome inflatable T-Rex costumes and how so many layers of knowledge and expertise go into scientific discovery. In honor of the East Coast (not us) getting some of our first snow, I’d like to share the following awesome video of an inflatable T-Rex ice skating in case you haven’t seen it.

[No transcript available, but to summarize: A person in an inflatable t-rex costume and white ice skates performs surprisingly well on an ice rink. Occasionally, the t-rex trips on its own tail. Hilarity insues.]

What We’re Recommending: The #ReadGreatThings2018 Edition

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In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here are some of Durham Tech’s great faculty and staff’s recommendations to help you complete your Read Great Things Challenge:

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Sara Juarez, Director of Interpretation / Translation Programs. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
lincoln in the bardo by george saunders
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
the fact of a body by: A Murder and a Memoir by alexandria marzano-lesnevich book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library
In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences by Truman Capote book cover
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus and Northern Durham Center Libraries
Book of Deacon by Joseph Lallo book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Educated by Tara Westover book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life [and A book you chose for the cover]. Recommended by Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes and Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers. Available at the Main Campus Library.
Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Courtney Bippley, Reference Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations. Available at the Main Campus Library
The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge book cover
A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lea Bingham, English Instructor and ASUT Associate Dean. Available at the Main Campus Library
children of blood and bone by tomi adeyemi book cover
A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Shawna Daniels-Ash, Early Childhood Education Instructor. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande book cover
A popular science book. Recommended by Meredith Lewis, OCC Librarian. Available at the Main Campus Library
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Stephanie Turner, Coordinator, Marketing and Media Relations
I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott
A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [1968 or before] and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Shana Curl, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor
Rhymes of the Times: Black Nursery Rhymes by Audrey Muhammad book cover
A book of poetry or a book written in verse and, not a category BUT, written by a Durham Tech advisor and instructor. Available at the Main Campus Library.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds book cover
A book about or that features sports. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle book cover
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Karin Abell, English as a Second Language Director. Available at the Main Campus Library
A popular science book. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
A popular science book. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the Main Campus and OCC Libraries
Willa Friday Culinary Cozy Mystery Series by Jamie Lee Scott box set image including Pasta, Pinot and Murder; Sushi, Sauvignon and Murder; Mousse, Moscato and Murder
A book about cooking or food. Recommended by Lori Heiger, ACA Instructor and Academic Advisor.
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Available at the Main Campus Library
I'll Take You There Mavis Staples, the Staples Singers, and the Music that Shaped the Civil Rights Era by Greg Kot book cover
Available at the Main Campus (ML 400 .K873 2014)
A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit [Svalbard, Norway]. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor.
A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit [Svalbard, Norway]. Recommended by Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor.
What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner book cover
A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life and A book you chose for the cover. Recommended by Gina Perryman, International Student Services and Study Abroad Advisor. Available at the Main Campus Library.
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the OCC Library
A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018. Recommended by Janice Stuart, English Instructor, Gateway to College. Available at the OCC Library
Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry by Marcus Thompson book cover
A book about or that features sports and A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life. Recommended by Mary Kennery, Library Technician. Available at the Main Campus Library

Need more information about how to participate in (and “win”) the Durham Tech Library’s Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Click the following link for more information: #ReadGreatThings2018 Information

Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

What We’re Reading: Dread Nation

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dread nation by justina ireland book cover

Available at the OCC Library on the New Book shelf

This book was enthusiastically read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Revisionist Zombie Historical Fiction, Supernatural fiction [not sure if it’s fantasy or science-fiction– I’m waiting for the next  books in the series to figure out how those zombies became zombies!]

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book with a supernatural creature [yup], A book that takes place during a historical event 50 years or more in the past [Reconstruction-era America… but with zombies]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Honestly, it was one of several this year that I read about, had a great premise, and also got really good reviews. I often wonder if books are as good as everyone says they are and this is one of several I’ve read lately that have lived up to their hype –see: Children of Blood and Bone (reviewed on the blog here, The Hate U Give, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Despite the great reviews, I was a little torn because I actually hate zombies. A lot. If a zombie apocalypse actually ever occurs, I’ll have a hard time not just giving up because it’s too bleak. I don’t want dead people-like things eating my face. 

What did you like about it?

This is going to sound strange, but it was a really sassy and hopeful book. So it takes place during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, except the war was finished because zombies started rising from the battlefield. Afterwards, newly freed slaves (and Native peoples, another interesting aspect to the book) are sent to combat schools to learn to kill the undead. Our intrepid heroine Jane is ready to graduate from Miss Preston’s School of Combat when… well, things go crazy and I don’t want to spoil the wonderful plot twists for you. Despite all the undead, Jane is always plotting on how to make her world better and how to get back to her family. In addition to the zombies, it casts a nicely critical eye on race relations and problems when marginalized people are put in opposition to each other. [Can you tell I was an English major? Look at that last sentence.]

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

The deep-seated evilness of several of the characters reminded me of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. 

Who would you recommend the book to?

I’d recommend this to both people who do like zombies and people who don’t like zombies, and any people who like super engaging stories, awesome strong female characters, and are okay waiting for the next book in the series [2019 on Goodreads!]. 

What would you pair this book with? 

Some very sharp sickles. You know, for the zombie slaying. 

What We’re Currently Reading: Summer Reads Edition!

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In a repeating series highlighting current and recent reads around Durham Tech, here’s Durham Tech’s awesome faculty and staff’s current or recently finished summer reads:

Swan Song by Robert McCammon book cover
Suzannah Price, English Instructor
Dune by Frank Herbert book cover
Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and Orange County Campus (PS 3558 .E63 D8)
The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton book cover
Mary Kennery, Library Technician
The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard book cover
Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean of University Transfer & English Instructor
Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves by James Nestor book cover
Courtney Bippley, Main Campus Reference Librarian
american war by omar el akkad book cover
Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian
Lock In by John Scalzi book cover
Paula Wilder, Director of English for Academic Purposes & Continuing Education for Non-Native English Speakers
Betrayed: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel by Lisa Scottoline book cover
Christine Gunnigle, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Clinical Coordinator & Instructor
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay book cover
Marina DelVecchio, English & Humanities Instructor
Unresolved issues by Wanda B. Campbell book cover
Johnnie Bratton, Program Director of Associate Degree Nursing & Coordinator of Therapeutic and Diagnostic NA Diploma Program
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende book cover
Rachel Lithman, English as a Foreign Language Instructor and Advisor
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones book cover
Available at the Main Campus (PS 3610 .O63 A84 2018) and as an ebook through Dogwood Digital Library
The Power by Naomi Alderman book cover
Julie Humphrey, Library Director
21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago book cover
Erin Riney, Director of Center for College and Community Service, Service Learning Coordinator, & ACA Instructor
ready player one by ernest cline book cover
Janice Stuart, Gateway to College English Instructor
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore book cover
Brittney VornDick, Physics Instructor
The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas by E.R. Bills book cover
Carl Rupert, Math Instructor
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty book cover
Lynn Unsworth, Leadership and Interpersonal Skills Development Regional Trainer
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie book cover
Stephanie Turner, Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan book cover
Bill Ingram, President
Educated by Tara Westover book cover
Cathy Collie-Robinson, Director and Instructor of Early Childhood Education
iq a novel by joe ide book cover
Judy Graham, EMS Program Specialist
Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans book cover
Patricia Neems, English as a Second Language Instructor
animal farm by george orwell
Suzi Jaikaran, Human Resources Coordinator
The Completionist by Siobhan Adcock book cover
Karin Abell, Director of English as a Second Language
Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns by Michael A. Smerconish book cover
Wayne Durkee, Criminal Justice Instructor
the kitchen house by kathleen grissom book cover
Dorothy Wood, Biology Instructor
ready player one by ernest cline book cover
Jessica Orio, Center for the Global Learner Program Specialist
A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World by Andrew Kiste book cover
Gilbert R. Umberger, Student Activities Coordinator
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly book cover
Kerry Cantwell, First-Year Experience Chair & ACA Instructor
heir of fire by sarah j maas book cover
Stesha Little, Gateway to College Resource Specialist
Swamplandia! By Karen Russell book cover
Eliza Murphy, ACA Instructor and Advisor
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson book cover
DM Stearns, Criminal Justice Instructor
1633 by David Weber & Eric Flint book cover
Bill Stuart, Science Lab Manager
The Devourers by Indra Das book cover
Susane Boukamel, CAE Academic Alert Tutor for Reading and English
Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4) by Kevin Hearne
Walter Bartlett, Advanced Manufacturing Coordinator
A Dreamer’s Tales: Annotated Edition by Lord Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany book cover
Peter Wooldridge, Vice President of Corporate, Continuing, and Public Services Education & ancestor of the author
The Brothers K by David James Duncan book cover
Pat Morris, Director of CAE
The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther by Jeffrey Haas book cover
Darius Whitney, Southern School of Energy & Sustainability College Liaison
Gaddy's Song (Pettigrew Farm Series, Book 3) by Kathryn Ewers Bundy book cover
Lisa M. Blair, French & Spanish Instructor
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb book cover
Stephen Brooks, Main Campus Reference Librarian
Patrick Coin, Assistant Dean of Applied Technologies Programs & Director and Instructor of Environment, Health, and Safety Technology
Patrick Coin, Assistant Dean of Applied Technologies Programs & Director and Instructor of Environment, Health, and Safety Technology

Need help finding a book in-library or requesting a book through ILL? You can look it up in our catalog or ask a librarian. Don’t yet have a library card? Ask in the library and be sure to bring your Durham Tech ID.

Are you already reading for the Durham Tech Read Great Things 2018 Challenge? Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

 

What We’re Reading: Monstress (Vol. 1 & 2)

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monstress vol 1 by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda book cover
Available at the Orange County Campus, volumes 1-4 (PN 6728 .M6548 L48 2019)
monstress vol 2 by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda book cover
Available on the new book shelf at the OCC Library

This series was read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Graphic Novel/Comic Book

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book that contains a supernatural creature [loads], occurrence [more than one], or event [very much yes]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

I picked up Monstress Vol. 1 a year or so ago in an effort to check out some new graphic novels. The graphics were beautiful and there was a weird multi-tailed cat in one of the preview images. I’m a simple person–I may have chosen it for both the positive reviews and the cats. It’s also really beautifully illustrated (and terribly bloody and twisted). 

I chose to continue the series because it’s dark and fascinating. The main character, Maika Halfwolf, is scarred emotionally from a war between entities in her world that left a huge number of beings dead and many more brutalized, but her physical scarring comes from a terrifying (and very hungry) monster that she shares her body with. She reluctantly takes on a half-fox and two-tailed necromancing talking cat as sidekicks. Look, it’s really weird (as I say out loud frequently while reading it), but really interesting. And it’s not as whimsical as the animals make it seem.

What did you like about it?

Maika’s exploration of where she ends and the monster begins is really fascinating, especially since they can see into each others’ memories. The second volume starts to clear up some of the mysteries introduced in the first volume, but I still have more questions! (Volume 3 comes out later this year, so I’ll just have to wait unless I want to buy individual issues of the comic.) 

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

The second one reminds me ever so slightly of Pirates of the Carribean… but that’s only because there’s a ship and a terrifying island and ghosts.They do not share a similar tone AT ALL. 

Was there anything noteworthy about the book?

If you’re into awards, this (along with My Favorite Thing is Monsters, also available at the OCC Library) was nominated for a 2018 Eisner Award and Vol. 1 won a Hugo Award last year. 

Who would you recommend the book to?

If you’re into dark fantasy and beautiful art and weird stories with anthropomorphic animals and half animals and monsters, this is probably going to be your jam. All the trigger warnings, though. 

I found this Hollywood Reporter article interesting, too, for more information: ‘Monstress’: Inside The Fantasy Comic About Race, Feminism And The Monster Within

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

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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:

like water for chocolate by laura esquivel book cover
Available at the Main, Northern Durham, and OCC Libraries (PQ 7298.15 .S638 C6613 1992)
some we love, some we hate, some we eat by hal herzog
Available at the Main Campus Library (QL 85 .H47 2010)
the plant paradox by steven gundry book cover
Available through ILL
heat by bill buford
Available at the Main Campus (TX 723.2 .T86 B83 2006)
Sourdough by Robin Sloan book cover
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
Life from scratch : a memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin book cover
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
blood, bones, & butter by gabrielle hamilton book cover
Available through ILL
real cooking by nigel slater
Available through ILL
how to cook a wolf by mkf Fisher book cover
Available through ILL (maybe). And a NY Times book review.
deep run roots by vivian howard book cover
Available at the Main Campus (TX 715.2 .S68 H69 2016)
bread, wine, chocolate by Simran Sethi book cover
Available at the Main Campus Library (S 494.5 .A43 S425 2015)
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
delicious by ruth reichl book cover
Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3618 .E5239 D45 2014)
hannibal by thomas harris book cover
LOL and available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3558 .A6558 H36)
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)
chocolat by joanne harris book cover
Available through ILL

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: Sourdough

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Sourdough by Robin Sloan book cover

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: Oprah saying "I love bread."

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

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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:

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
Available through ILL
Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace
Available through ILL
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Available at the Main Campus Library (PZ 7.7 .C369 Th 2014)
Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
Available through ILL. Find other Stephen King books on all campuses at PS 3561 .I483.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Available in my nightmares and through ILL
Wytches, Vol. 1 by Scott Snyder book cover
Available soon at the Orange County Campus Library
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann book cover
Available at the Orange County Campus Library
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty book cover
Available through ILL
The Omen by David Seltzer book cover
Available at the Orange County Campus Library (PS 3569 .E5836 O45 2006)
Tarheel Ghosts by John Harden book cover
Available through archive.org
The Stand by Stephen King book cover
Available through ILL. Find other Stephen King books on all campuses at PS 3561 .I483.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski book cover
Available through ILL
the amityville horror by Jay Anson book cover
Available at the Main Campus Library (BF 1517 .U6 A57 1977)
Available at the Main Campus Library (PQ 9281 .A66 E6813 1999)
Available at the Main Campus Library (PQ 9281 .A66 E6813 1999)
Hannibal by Thomas Harris book cover
Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3558 .A6558 H36 2000)
It by Stephen King book cover
Available at the Main and Orange County Campus Libraries when not checked out (PS 3561 .I483 I8)
Bunnicula by James & Deborah Howe book cover
Available through ILL.
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Available at the Main Campus Library (PS 3561 .I483 P4 1983)

spooky displays
Pumpkin painting
Pumpkin painting times

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.

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

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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 hate u give
kafka goes to the movies
sam phillips the man who invented rock 'n' roll
seveneves
sabriel audiobook
design like you give a damn
humans
the coming jobs war
marvelous land of oz
in farleigh field
unbeatable squirrel girl
station eleven
the operators
my favorite thing is monsters
jungle of stone
eleanor oliphant is completely fine
the spirit catches you and you fall down
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Available at the Main Campus Library
the gene
the new urban crisis
the women in the castle
commonwealth
the lambretta bible
hominids
cross the line
the baseball codes
if i was your girl
camino island
outliers
the fifth season
rules of civility
dragon teeth
love and venom
flight behavior
tea girl of hummingbird lane
gentleman in moscow
the honors class
gone tomorrow
rise of the robots
handmaid's tale
reckless
indefensible
invisible man
esther anointing
underground railroad
immortal life of henrietta lacks
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers book cover
the fire this time
lincoln in the bardo
the serpent king
the thirteenth tale
death at la fenice
do androids dream of electric sheep
life on mars
brown girl dreaming
tell the wolves i'm home
the worst hard time
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
girls made of snow and glass
dorothy must die
roots of my obsession

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.