BOOK reMARKS

Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

If you haven't heard already, this year VCU chose Kenji Yoshino's Covering: the Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights by Kenji Yoshino for its Summer Reading Program book. This book is a nuanced exploration of identity and the ways that we reveal and conceal it. Yoshino is a poet and a law professor, and this shows through in both his lyrical prose and his dogged argumentation. VCU Libraries has many copies of this book available for checkout, and we also have a Web page with resources about the book.

Available at Cabell Library, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, and online

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Chuck Palahniuk is well known for writing about extreme topics: underground fight clubs, death cults, murderous songs, marathon-length pornographic acts, horribly disfigurement, etc. He has attracted both critical attention and critical revulsion, and it seems like nobody who reads his work lacks an opinion about it. His fictions careen through genres of all sorts, always using his trademark minimalist style.

Stranger than Fiction is notable for the way that the author applies his eye and style to strange episodes from real life. He describes the life of submariners in "The People Can," detailing the hard, monotonous life of patrols undersea. In "My Life as a Dog," he writes about the injuries people are willing to inflict when they don't perceive their victims as human. The volume also includes a number of odd, odd profiles of various celebrities, as well as stories from his own life, covering everything from lip enhancers to procrastination. This book provides a good taste of Palahniuk's writing, as well as his signature themes.

Cabell Library PS3566.A4554 S77 2004

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

The history of literary criticism is not among the world's most well-known leisure reading subjects, and yet this book is an engrossing study of how tastes in literature change. It's particularly relevant if you spend time thinking about whether what you're reading is good, bad, or indifferent. In 149 pages, Rónán McDonald travels from Aristotle's Poetics all the way to book review blogs like Bookslut and The Book Review Blog

The central questions of this book are whether it is good to evaluate the quality of literature, and, if so, whether trained critics are any better at doing it than journalists or the common bookworm. This book happened more or less as a result of the gradual turn against critical evaluation in the last half of the 20th century, but it was particularly spurred by John Carey's 2005 book, What Good Are the Arts?, which left McDonald wondering how things could possibly have come to this point.

This book is not a deep academic analysis of the central questions, but a survey of literary criticism and how it got from "beauty is truth" to "there is no truth in beauty." If your experience of literary criticism starts with Marx and ends with Foucault, it may surprise you to read about the archetypal criticism of Northrop Frye, the place of Keats' aesthetics, or Virginia Woolf's views on gender privilege and identity.

Cabell Library PN81 .M48 2007

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

The 1992 death of the wanderer Christopher McCandless was a strange one. He died of starvation, alone in the Alaskan bush, with few possessions. With a little more preparedness for his surroundings—a compass, a map—he might have left his campsite and traveled to a nearby cabin, or the few dozens miles to civilization. Instead he wasted away, his body eventually found by moose hunters. This story makes for a gripping, thought-provoking read. It's difficult not to wonder what one would have done under similar circumstances, what choices one would have made and what the result would have been.

Jon Krakauer, an experienced outdoorsman, went north to learn about McCandless, publishing an article in Outside the next year that became the basis for Into the Wild. The book explores McCandless' life and wanderings, as well as those of others who have traveled into the American wilderness to find themselves, or solitude, or escape from society. Krakauer spent much time with McCandless' journal and correspondence, interviewing his family and other people who knew him, and learning whatever could be reconstructed of his travels. Along the way, Krakauer recounts his own outdoor experiences under harsh conditions, musing over how close he himself might have come to death.

Cabell Library CT9971.M35 K73 1996

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Robert Dennis Crumb is one of the more singular artistic talents America has ever produced. His deeply weird and unfettered genius gave birth to the underground comix of the 1960s and helped to separate comic books from capes and wish-fulfillment, bringing about the field of alternative comics as we know it. His work, beloved by some, reviled by others, has had a giant impact on comics people, from writers to publishers to editors, and they've all got something to say about the man.

The style and length of these appreciations vary greatly, from Alan Moore's commentary on Crumb's impact on him as a teenager, to the Rev. Ivan Stang's vision of Crumb as trend-evading creator, to Matt Groening's relived glee as a childhood consumer of illicit cartoons. This book makes for a fine, episodic read, the perfect thing to pick up, read some essays, and put it down again for a few days. Whether you enjoy it or not depends on how much you like comics, the history of comics, general weirdness, and the reminiscences of aging hippies about the zany 60s.

Those unfamiliar with Crumb's work should probably be aware that his detractors have labeled much of it as variously depraved, racist, misogynist, and obscene. Crumb's response to such criticisms has typically been to acknowledge and apologize for his flaws. At the same time, he defends his work on the grounds artists often use to defend transgressive works — that censorship is not a good thing, and that artists need to overcome voices of repression.

Cabell Library NC1429.C83 L54 1998

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Joseph Epstein's conversational little book is a pleasure to read if you've ever enjoyed looking down your nose at anyone, or if you've ever felt the horror of being looked on by those around you. For that matter, it's a pleasurable read if you enjoy thinking about all the weird tics and quirks displayed by people in their unceasing attempts to prove themselves ever so slightly better than their fellows. Epstein's manner is self-deprecating, but all the same, it's a pleasure to watch his own snobbism at work as he dryly skewers the sensibilities of social climbers everywhere. Almost the epitome of light reading, this book is perfect for the beach, or a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Epstein roams through every aspect of life where we check the people around us, judging those below, emulating those above. He touches on clothing (bespoke and otherwise), schools (ivy-laden or state), and home décor (Picasso or pink flamingos). Epstein's life in academia, occasionally mixing and mingling with the tony, has given him perspective to speak on a broad range of society. Whatever his own predilections, he is a compassionate observer of human foibles, whether his own or others'.

Internet Resources HN90.S6 E67 2002eb

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Celebrating Women's History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Margaret Henderson, Education Services Specialist

American Women Afield: Writings by Pioneering Women Naturalists is a collection of writings by 25 female naturalists from the 19th and early 20th centuries, with short biographies provided by Marcia Myers Bonta. Bonta discovered these writings while doing biographical research for her Women in the Field: America’s Pioneering Women Naturalists, and she decided that people would enjoy the actual writings as well as biographies.

The biographies are very informative, covering family history, education, how the woman started her work, and a summary of the work done. It is interesting to note the wide variety of backgrounds that led to the love of nature and the urge to write about it. As Katharine Dooris Sharp wrote “She will do it because she was born to do it; because within her is the heaven-imparted kinship with Nature which is the open sesame to that kingdom of delight. But she will do it under difficulties.”

The writings show natural history at its best. Natural history was a popular pursuit during the time these women were alive, so most of the selections are in an easy-to-read style, although the author carefully chose selections and writers who would be interesting. All the selections are characterized by careful descriptions of interesting specimens, plant and animal, or wonderful locations. Many of these meticulous observations are still valid: the song sparrow behavior studied by Margaret Morse Nice, the aphid descriptions of Edith Patch, or the grasses described by Agnes Chase.

Several of the women were concerned about conservation issues before people were aware there was a problem. Susan Fenimore Cooper was warning about the misuse of natural resources in 1850; Margaret Morse Nice decried the destruction of songbird habitat; E. Lucy Braun worked to conserve eastern deciduous forests; and of course Rachel Carson fought against pesticide use.

Each author manages to draw you into her ‘world’. Wasps, aphids, spiders and other insects become quite fascinating. Anna Botsford Comstock wrote about Pantographa limata “... he was as interesting as a harlequin in his vivid costume of black and green. The black face was made grotesque by ten little eyes of assorted sizes, placed in circles, each one shining like an opal. His black legs were adorned at the joints with what a costumer would call ‘slashes’ that revealed a lining of green; on the segment nearest the body the black band was cut into gay points.” You feel the grandeur of forests we will never see again when E. Lucy Braun describes “Mountain magnolia and oil-nut, with here and there a mass of mountain laurel, are grouped with such perfection of design as only the Master Hand could plan. And all between are beds of ferns.” The need to conserve our forests and worry about the environment becomes quite clear. The passion and excitement all these women fell about their chosen subject comes through in all their writings.

Although most names in this book are not well known, some of the women corresponded with well known scientists of their day; Mary Treat corresponded with Charles Darwin about bladderworts, among other things. Others had respected scientists as their mentors; Graceana Lewis was encouraged by John Cassin, Curator of Birds at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. And some became the first female member of various scientific societies; Florence Merriam Bailey was the first woman member of the newly founded American Ornithologists’ Union

In an era when most people think women didn’t do much outside the domestic sphere, it is exciting to realize that there have always been women who like traipsing through the woods and writing about it.

If you enjoy these writings you might also enjoy more modern women afield. Margaret Lowman’s Life in the treetops : adventures of a woman in field biology (Internet Resources QH31.L79 A3 1999eb) and It’s a jungle up there: more tales from the treetops (Internet Resources QH31.L79 A3 2006eb) are excellent. In Search of the Golden Frog by Marty Crump (Cabell Library QL656.C35 C78 2000 Normal Loan) is another good biography of a female field biologist.

Cabell Library QH45.2 .B66 1995 (American Women Afield)
Cabell Library QH26 .B66 1991 Normal Loan (Women in the Field)

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Charles Schulz is known worldwide as the creator of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and all their other friends who anchored thousands of funny pages from 1950 to 2000. Among all the comics that have come and gone over the years, Schulz's Peanuts has stood the test of time. It was difficult at best to grow up in the United States in this period and not be in contact with Peanuts in some form or another: the comic strip, the television adaptations, the merchandise.

The interviews and appreciations presented in this volume vary in focus and length, ranging from 1956 to 1999 in date and including the exhaustive interview Schulz gave to comics publisher and editor Gary Groth in 1997. They provide remarkable insights into the life of the man behind this amazing American creation. Some are intriguing, some heartwarming, and some confounding. While it is never easy to hear hard things about idols or loved ones, this book displays the great man's strengths and weaknesses. While some interviewers glossed over the rough spots, others stuck doggedly to their guns, particularly Groth in his quest to understand Schulz's relationship with and attitude toward the commercialization of Peanuts.

If you have an abiding fondness for Peanuts or comics in general, you will probably enjoy this book. The details of Schulz's life, from little red-haired girls to his service in WWII, make for fascinating reading, and no one with a heart could fail to enjoy this beloved cartoonist's stories about the genesis and lives of his pen and ink creations.

Cabell Library PN6727.S3 Z4625 2000

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Celebrating Women's History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Mayra Rivas, member of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas

Every day many of us get caught up in our own lives and take for granted the rules and rights that we have to live by. Some of us don’t realize how lucky or unlucky we are to live in a day and age where equality between men and women is far better than it was in the past, but is still not perfect. Women’s Rights, edited by Jennifer Curry, goes into extreme depth and detail outlining the history and outcome of women activists all over the world and the laws that they have helped change. The book does not just talk about the right to vote, but also the right to an education, to drive, to claim rape, to choose when to have a child, etc. It involves not just political rights, but also human rights and rights that control the life and body of a woman.

Rights and fights for women differ from country to country. While women were fighting for contraception and abortion rights in the U.S., women were fighting for their own battles in less developed countries. In the end, women all over the world have stepped up to fight for what they believe in.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Form of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a universal bill of rights that would essentially equate men and women all over the world. It is referred to constantly in the book. It has been pending for almost thirty years, yet some countries have yet to accept it. Comparisons are made in the book between countries on the pay that women and men get, and on the percentage of women holding office. It talks about the way religion and culture affect women rights. It analyzes the scriptures of Islam and Christianity and the way they are interpreted. It is very informative and provides excerpts from a wide range of sources. Other chapter in the book discuss prostitution and sex trafficking, violence, taboos (and why women are afraid to go to the law once they have been raped or abused), prostitution, sex trafficking and its comparison to under-paid illegal immigrant workers.

Throughout Women’s Rights there are many examples and statistics that deal with the oppression women face everyday. There are even surveys and cultural trends that demonstrate why in many ways men are preferred to women in countries such as China and India. This book is definitely an eye-opener and provides insight to issues being faced all over the world regarding women.

Cabell Library HQ1236 .W65253 2005

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head of Preservation

It was a tense moment. Sojourner Truth was about to speak at the second Women’s Rights Convention in 1851. Truth had been making many Americans uncomfortable as she spoke publicly of the hypocrisy of democracy when racism and sexism were tearing the country apart. Her book, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave, was published the year before and she had joined an abolitionist speakers bureau. Her supporters secured her a place on the program. As soon as she spoke, ongoing discussions halted. The elegant, privileged white feminist women at the meeting, who thought they could speak authentically for slave women, were quiet. Truth’s life stood in stark contrast to theirs, and she spoke much more persuasively than they could. She called on women who did not want her to speak or join the discussions to face their hypocrisy. She denounced men in the audience for withholding rights from their mothers, sisters, and wives. The question, “Ar’n’t I A Woman” perfectly captured the difference between black and white antebellum women.

Deborah White, a distinguished professor of history at Rutgers University, wrote a concise book on the development of stereotypes of slave women as well the horrors they were forced to face in their daily life. She describes well the issues and differences between slave and free women. While all women of the time were powerless and exploited to a degree, black women experienced an extreme form of persecution. Extensive footnotes authenticate her research and work. White proposed that the female slave trade had little to do with the woman’s ability to work; instead, it had everything to do with physical attractiveness and the black woman’s ability to have children -- children to benefit the slave owner alone. In essence, slave women were little more than sexual objects. White persuasively documents how the stigma persists to modern times. Black women have no era in history where they were respected or held privilege as a class in American society.

Nine years later Sojourner Truth was speaking again, this time on the abolition of slavery. Rumors circulated in the audience that Truth was actually a man posing as a woman. Men demanded that she show her breasts to prove she was a woman. She did, saying that it was to their shame that she did so. At that time, “No” seemed to be the answer to the question “Ar’n’t I A Woman”. White argues that the black woman is still waiting for an affirmative answer.

The text of the speech “Ar’n’t [Ain’t] I A Woman?” can be found online at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth-woman.html. The book was White’s first publication and won the Letitia Brown Memorial Book Prize.

Cabell Library E 443 .W58 1985

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is an engaging analysis of comics that delights while it intrigues. Written in comics format itself, the book analyzes comics throughout history, discussing their evolution and the conventions and methods that make them work, and it explores the possibilities of what they can do. First published in 1993, this book has justifiably received much praise and become one of the primary books read by people who want to know about comics.

Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it provides a solid defense of the worth of comics, showing the traditions comics came from, how most reader tend to confuse the medium (words & pictures) with the content (brainless superheroes, impossible musculature, etc.). McCloud packs a lot of information into each chapter, and if you take the time to think about what he's saying, you'll find yourself thinking hard about things you might never have considered, from the ingredients that combine to form complex emotions on a person's face to the ways we are indoctrinated into consuming texts to the effect created by putting a frame around something.

Cabell Library PN6710 .M335 1994

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Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Comics and sequential art have been taken increasingly seriously by the American cultural establishment in recent decades. The appearance of landmark works by Daniel Clowes (Ghost World), Will Eisner (A Contract with God), Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis), and Art Spiegelman (Maus) has done much to open readers' eyes to possibilities of comics as a medium that doesn't have to be defined by subject matter any more than painting or poetry. Concurrent with this increase in respect, many nonfiction books have emerged analyzing comics, discussing their techniques and development, and profiling their creators. Todd Hignite's In the Studio falls into the last category, featuring profiles of nine prominent comics creators.

This book is a joy to read, from its glossy, well-printed pages to the kaleidoscope of artwork created by the featured artists and that inspired them. Every page you turn displays something new and interesting that you've never seen or thought about before, or more importantly, that you've never run into in the light the artists place them. Each profile is composed of material gleaned from interviews, mini-essays by the artists on their goals and influences, and examples of artwork they consider important or plain cool. Whether you want to read each word or browse here and there, you will find something to interest you about comics in this book. Hignite has done a fine job interviewing and presenting masters of the medium in their own words, and the images he presents bring those words to life.

Two questions readers may have on seeing this book are why no mainstream comics artists are featured, and why none of the artists profiled in In the Studio are female. The first is a matter of scope, as Hignite states in the introduction that he is interested in "avant-garde cartoonists," which by definition excludes those who work on the more typical subject matter of the genre. The second is more troubling, but it's difficult to fault Hignite for making the choices he did. Female comics artists have attained less prominence historically than male comics artists, despite significant numbers of female characters in comics, such as those of Jaime Hernandez, featured here. Though women work in the comics industry in many roles, they have on the whole not yet gained the kind of recognition enjoyed by their male peers.

Cabell Library NC1426 .H54 2006

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head of Preservation

This book was the first full-length narrative written by a slave in America. When it was originally published in 1861 it created a heated controversy. Those for slavery denounced it as fiction, written by and for abolitionists. It was said that a real slave, even one who had been taught to read and write, could never write so well. That the author used a pseudonym for herself and the people she wrote about only added to the argument against the book's authenticity. Controversy aside, the book stands on its own as a narrative of a woman born into slavery in Edenton, North Carolina in 1813. To escape she hid for seven years in a small attic over a store room waiting for the right opportunity, which finally came when she was 29. Even then she had to hide in northern cities from her pursuers -- bounty hunters and her former master’s family.

This book revealed to me the complicity of society in the slave economy. I had deluded myself into thinking that those who did not own slaves were somehow removed from slavery. Yet they were public servants and businessmen and laborers who all benefited from slavery. Accounts describing townspeople raiding slave cabins to take whatever they pleased, even under the eye of the owner, angered me. Descriptions of her master's sexual harassment and torment appealed to women, then and now, to have compassion and denounce slavery. Her master's pride demanded compliance which she never gave. Yet she did compromise her principles and gave herself to an unmarried landowner of a higher class, by whom she had two children. While this effectively prevented her owner from raping her, it didn’t stop him from constantly reminding her of what he could do…if he wanted. She was not alone in her torment. Her sexual decisions were a source of shame to her, but they also demonstrated how she had at least exercised her freedom of choice. Many women of the time had no such freedom. I gained new insight into the fate of slave women who had both color and gender working against them.

Harriet Jacobs' life is admirable for overcoming obstacles and purity of purpose. After 1865 she was active in the Freedman's Bureau and organized education, health care, and necessities for African-Americans making the transition to freedom. Her life and values are a shining example for us all to do more to help others and follow our ideals.

The library’s copy of this book is a Norton Critical Edition which provides extra material to put the book in context. It includes letters that authenticate the work as that of Harriet Jacobs, other works by Jacobs, reviews at the time of its publication, published articles, and criticism, which are a compelling aside. I highly recommend this book.

Cabell Library E444 .J17 2001

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities

Richmond, Virginia, by local author Elvatrice Parker Belsches (part of the Black America Series from Arcadia Publishing), is profusely illustrated with historic photographs of people and places associated with the African-American experience. Belsches provides a comprehensive survey of this crucial, and often overlooked, aspect of Richmond history. Ranging from contributions to business, education, entertainment, medicine, politics, and religion, Belsches charts the increasing growth of influence of Richmond's black citizens on the life of the city. Essay-length captions accompany rare photographs, establishing a timeline of pivotal moments that define the importance of these contributions to Richmond. The chapter on the role of blacks in the medical field includes biographies of Dr. Sara G. Jones -- "one of the first African Americans to pass the medical boards in Virginia" in 1893 -- and Dr. John Howlette O.D., D.O.S. -- "a pioneering optometrist in Richmond who practiced for over 50 years within the historic Jackson Ward district." Belsches also emphasizes the role of organizations and societies that served as professional supports for those who sought to improve the life of black Richmonders in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although seldom remembered now, the contributions of the individuals Belsches commemorates should never be forgotten.

VCU Libraries presents a talk by Elvatrice Parker Belsches today, from 2-3:30 at Tompkins-McCaw Library, in the Distance Education Room, 2-010, with a reception and book-signing to follow in the Special Collections Reading Room at Tompkins-McCaw Library. Belsches will present "Above and Beyond: A Celebration of the Leonard Graduates," on her work documenting the contributions of graduates of the Leonard Medical School graduates of Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina to Richmond in the early 20th century. For further information and details, please visit the VCU Libraries Black History Month website, at http://www.library.vcu.edu/bhm/.

VCU Libraries Special Collections (Reference, Non-Circulating) F234.R59 N424 2002

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Michael Rawls, Administrative Office Specialist III

In the fifty years since the publication of Peculiar Institution, historians have produced a significant number of works on American slavery -- developing a variety of interesting sub-fields and topic specializations. Yet, this work remains among the best as a departure point for understanding the world of the ante-bellum slave and it should be considered a prerequisite for subsequent readings on the subject.

Stampp divides his research into ten neatly compartmentalized chapters, each detailing a particular aspect of slave life. The chapter entitled, "A Troublesome Property," for instance, examines various means by which slaves resisted their bondage -- from running away to sabotaging farm implements. Likewise, "To Make Them Stand in Fear," illustrates the frightening level of brutality that was ever-present in the plantation system. Other chapters address the workday lives of slaves, their material condition, legal and familiar status, slave auctions, and the paradoxical role of domestic servants. The last two chapters examine economic factors and social attitudes regarding slavery, respectively, with an eye toward answering the arguments of those who hold an ameliorative view of the institution.

Thankfully, the necessity of the last two chapters has diminished greatly since the book was first published, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of this work. When Peculiar Institution was written, the prevailing view of slavery was one of paternalism and benevolence -- akin to the depiction of slavery in Gone with the Wind. In academics, the prominent work of historian Ulrich Phillips served to legitimize such opinions. Against this backdrop, Stampp's challenge was nothing less than to change America's attitude regarding slavery. Rather than explicitly condemning slavery, he simply describes it in a dispassionate tone. He leaves it to the source material itself to convey the horrors of slavery, trusting the reader to develop their own sense of condemnation. Stampp’s efforts met with resounding success. Peculiar Institution became a classic that is widely used in college and high school classrooms to this day and can be counted among the finest examples of historical revisionism.

Cabell Library E441 .S8 1956A

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Serena Haroian, Collection Librarian for Business and Public Affairs

In his book, The Black Digital Elite, John T. Barber profiles twenty-six African Americans who have made significant contributions to the advancement of technology over the past four decades. From inventors to CEOs, educators to policy-makers, the compilation of perhaps unfamiliar names and faces adds richness to the history of technological innovation. Beyond the biography, each profile includes an insightful discussion about the digital divide, its persistence and how African Americans can create new paradigms for themselves in order to bridge the gap.

A common thread throughout the book is that African Americans have proven to be willing consumers of technology but they have not generally been the benefactors of the economic opportunities brought about by technology, especially the Internet. One clear path to changing this, says William Kennard, former Chairman of the FCC, is to ensure racial equality in education and access to technology.

The long-term solution is not new. It’s as old as Brown v. Board of Education. We must ensure racial equality in education. But the new twist is that technology is dramatically transforming education in this society and, if we don’t make sure that all kids have equality of access to technology, the digital divide will only widen.

Those profiled express a central message that, in order to prosper and drive social change in a period of technological and economic growth, African Americans must have the abilities to participate at all levels of technology, from developing software to creating cyber-networks.

Cabell Library E185.615 .B297 2006

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities

"My whole life," Malcolm X observes toward the end of his groundbreaking autobiography, "had been a chronology of -- changes." One of America's most profound social philosophers, and a dedicated religious leader, Malcolm X brings to bear on each page of his life story the unflinching imperative to examine the causes and consequences of the social injustices -- the devastation (physical, emotional, and spiritual) that racism seeks to inflict -- that constrain and prevent transformation. Change is the key theme of the life of Malcolm X, as he spares no one, and especially not himself, from the imperative to examine, reflect, understand, critique, evaluate and re-evaluate, transform and change whatever form of injustice, whether conscious or unconscious, that hinders the progress of truth. From a directionless life, to a life of focused determination, to serve his faith and free himself and others from illusions, Malcolm X's influence continues the work of change and transformation, more than forty years after his death in 1965. "Despite my firm convictions," he wrote after his historic journey to Mecca in 1964, "I have been always a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth."

Cabell Library E185.97 .L5 1992
Cabell Library Internet Resources E185.97 .L5 A3 1996eb

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Ray Bonis, Archival Assistant for Collections, Special Collections and Archives

Although the documentation by historians and archivists of Richmond's African American history began in earnest in the 1970s, a complete monographic history of black Richmond has yet to be written. A new work published this year on the city's architectural history comes close. It covers subjects ranging from slavery and the emergence of freed peoples and their leaders to the city's African American churches and once vibrant neighborhoods.

Built by Blacks: African American Architecture and Neighborhoods in Richmond, Virginia was published by the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods (A.C.O.R.N.), the highly visible and successful local preservationist group which has purchased and renovated a number of vacant and abandoned properties in the city. Their interest in Richmond's African American history, including their preservation advocacy of structures built before and after the Civil War, led to the publication of this book. Built by Blacks was written by Selden Richardson, former Archivist for Architectural Records at the Library of Virginia, who currently serves as the President of the Board of A.C.O.R.N. Dr. Maurice Duke, a professor emeritus of English at VCU and a local historian, provided many of the photographs for the book. Archival images from Richardson's own collection are also used as illustrations.

Built By Blacks provides the architectural history of many Richmond landmark buildings and biographies of several Richmond African American architects and builders. Richardson's plea throughout the book is for city leaders and planners to preserve what is left of black Richmond. He writes in the introduction that the loss of "Richmond's architectural fabric, from iconic downtown offices and stores to humble bungalows is being compounded constantly." Readers of Built By Blacks will appreciate even more the loss of Richmond's historic cityscape.

Cabell Library – Special Collections and Archives E 185.92 R53 2007
Cabell Library E 185.92 R53 2007

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Reviewed by Renée Bosman, Reference Librarian for Government and Public Affairs

Operating Instructions is novelist Anne Lamott's quirky and unflinchingly honest documentation of her early days of motherhood. In her candid and unique voice, she chronicles both the difficulties and joys of parenting an infant, particularly as a single mother, detailing issues ranging from sleep deprivation and colic to excitement about her son's development and her overwhelming love for him. "Sam's so beautiful," she writes, "and I feel such a desperate love and protectiveness that my chest tightens with it." Such sentiments, balanced with passages regarding postpartum confusion and, at times, fury, make this an insightful read about motherhood and parenting. Yet this book is able to appeal to a wide range of readers, thanks to the broad scope of Lamott's musings, which span her recovery from addiction, politics, faith, a friend’s cancer diagnosis, and life in general.

Cabell Library PS3562.A4645 O64 1993

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Reviewed by Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities

Acclaimed author and physician Oliver Sacks (who teaches and practices neurology in New York City) is best known for his studies of extreme cases of illness that afflict the central nervous system or the brain, impairing physical, intellectual, and emotional functions. In books such as The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, An Anthropologist on Mars, Seeing Voices (an elegant study of deafness), and especially Awakenings (which was made into a Hollywood film, with the shy, eccentric, determined Sacks portrayed brilliantly by Robin Williams), Sacks separates the ravages of illness from the essential humanity that survives — and shows how, paradoxically, illnesses may also bring gifts, developing parts of our minds and talents that lay undiscovered within us. In Uncle Tungsten, Sacks finally, and delightfully, turns his curious and insightful mind upon himself, looking back over a long career and trying to discover the origins of his varied interests, especially for science and chemistry. The "Uncle Tungsten" of the book's title refers to Sacks' maternal uncle, Dave, who encouraged Sacks as a child in his explorations of the minerals and chemicals that comprise the world. And it is the story of his childhood that makes Uncle Tungsten so moving — of the encouragement, inspiration, and abundant love that marked the large Sacks family in their London home, even in the darkest and most dangerous days of the Blitz, when the child Oliver was sent away to the English countryside to escape Hitler's bombs. Sacks preserves this vanished world, the London of his Jewish ancestors, and pays homage to the excitement and wonder he inherited from them, carrying him forward into a lifelong search for the essence of our humanity.

Cabell Library RC339.52.S23 A3 2001
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Reviewed by Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities

In TechGnosis: Myth, Magic + Mysticism in the Age of Information, Erik Davis (http://www.techgnosis.com/) writes in the tradition of the Canadian media philosopher Marshall McCluhan (http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/), who initiated the study of the effects of mass media — particularly advertising — on identity, consciousness, and individual freedom and autonomy. How much freedom is truly possible, McLuhan asked, in an electronic media environment that seems to program and control all of our thoughts and desires? Davis continues McLuhan's critique of media, arguing that, unlike past cultures, in which information was seen as a tool (one of many) that possessed greater or lesser degrees of usefulness, depending upon the nature of the information itself, in the Digital Age "People began to devote themselves more and more to collecting, analyzing, transmitting, selling, and using the stuff." Davis views the often unseen control of information — despite the seeming freedom it possesses on the Internet — as a fact never to be forgotten: "From the moment the first scribe took up a reed and scratched a database into the cool clay of Sumer," he writes, "information flow has been an instrument of human power and control — religious as well as economic and political." Part historical overview, part journal, and part stream-of-consciousness, TechGnosis bristles with Davis' musings on contemporary media and computer culture. Perhaps Davis' most important arguments address the dangers of the human tendency to invest tools and artifacts — including computers and the Internet — with the magical ability to create an eternal order and perfection within ourselves and in the world itself.

Cabell Library BL265.I54 D38 2004
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Reviewed by Renée Bosman, Government Information Librarian

This book caught my eye while reading Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. After reading the interesting chapter on baby-naming patterns, I found this book in the footnotes, and thought I'd explore the topic further. Lieberson, a sociologist at Harvard, became fascinated with the social process behind baby names when he and his wife named their daughter Rebecca, which, unbeknownst to them, was a very popular name at the time. Years later, he began research on the concept of naming patterns as fashion, though unlike other cultural fashions such as clothing and entertainment, there are no ties to commercial influences. (After all, there are no corporations with "Emma" advertising campaigns). Lieberson explores two influences on changes in baby name tastes — social forces and internal mechanisms — and creates a compelling, entertaining, and well-researched study. Over the course of the book, he tackles such interesting issues as the rise in popularity of the name Jennifer in the 1970s and the influence of the entertainment industry on naming patterns (which is not as pervasive as you might think). Due to both the surprising subject matter and Lieberson's engaging writing style, this is one scholarly publication that is a pleasure to read.

Cabell Library CS2367 .L54 2000

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Reviewed by April West, Community Health Education Center Intern

The Right Moves: A Girl's Guide to Getting Fit and Feeling Good, written by a certified athletic trainer, is a teen's guide to learning about attitude, eating right, and exercising in order to be totally fit and healthy inside and out. This book reaches directly into the minds of teen girls and addresses topics of their concerns.

The Right Moves: A Girl's Guide to Getting Fit and Feeling Good is filled with pictures, cartoons, tips, advice, and facts. The authors' use of direct language allows the reader to completely understand and relate to the information and views provided. This book also nails the concept that being totally fit is about being healthy on the inside and out. It covers how attitude, nutrition, and exercise all incorporate into a healthy lifestyle. This book is a great starting point for teens who are concerned with getting fit.

Community Health Education Center RA777.25 .S39 1998

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

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Reviewed by Jessica Waugh, Library Specialist

This unvarnished bleak memoir of grief by award-winning author Joan Didion chronicles her first year after the death of her husband. Didion's spouse, author John Dunne, was also a gifted writer and soul mate to Didion. Throughout their nearly 40 year marriage they worked side by side. They adopted a daughter, Quintana Roo and the three of them traveled the world living what seemed a charmed life. Shortly after Christmas, 2003, Dunne collapsed and died in their New York apartment from a massive heart attack. Adding to the horror of that event was the fact that their newly married daughter was hospitalized at the time and fighting a major infection that followed a bout of flu. In stark prose, Didion describes the moment of informing her weak, barely-conscious daughter of her father's death. The two postponed Dunne's memorial service until Quintana was well enough to attend. One of Didion's more touching confessions was about her inability to dispose of John's clothing. She felt that if she left his garments in the apartment, perhaps he would return to her — magical thinking.

The year that followed her husband's death was plagued not only with grief, but fear of losing her only child. Shortly after surviving her illness during the first months of 2004, Quintana suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and lapsed into a coma upon returning to her home in Los Angeles. Months of loneliness, grief and worry for her daughter were the norm for Didion during that time. She recounts the endless hours spent at her daughter's bedside and with doctors at the UCLA medical center. She lets us into her memories of earlier happier times with Dunne and Quintana. Reading along, we are drawn into Didion's emotional world and the experience can be exhausting. As The New Yorker wrote, Didion has "the hyper-nervous awareness of the tendency of things to go bad." At the book's conclusion, Didion seems to be tentatively walking a path to recovery, assisted by friends and her daughter's improving health. By the last page, we are hopeful that she has found the courage to make new memories.

Cabell Library PS3554.I33 Z63 2005

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Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head, Preservation

This wonderful book describes the author's experience as the first woman apprentice to the master bookbinder William Anthony at the University of Iowa. Bill Anthony's skill is highly respected among bookbinders and conservators. The author's work is a tribute to him as well as a tribute to her own developing skill. She describes how she is taught, how she learns, the relationship of her tools to their actions, and her learned approach to restoration. When Anthony dies before her apprenticeship is complete, we see how her training has prepared her to continue her work. This book can be read on many levels. From a practical point of view, you can read this book as an extended essay on apprenticeship, and how to bind books. From a spiritual point of view, you can infer life lessons and the approach to any daunting task. The book looks like a quick read but it was so rich and detailed, I found myself reading it for several weeks and some parts of it over again in order to digest it all.

Cabell Library Z266 .W55 1999

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Reviewed by Kevin Farley, Collection Librarian for the Humanities

In Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution, noted British historian Simon Schama re-considers the seldom-studied effort of American and British anti-slavery advocates to free slaves before, during, and after the American Revolution. Schama's previous studies — including The Embarrassment of Riches (on the emergence of modern Western democracy, and its seminal contradictions, in seventeenth-century Holland), Citizens (a study of the French Revolution, and its idealistic, and not so idealistic, leaders), Rembrandt's Eyes (an exceptional reading of an artist whose works contributed to the invention of European "personality," or "individuality"), and the recent History of Britain (a scholarly trilogy, and the basis of a BBC/History Channel television series) — display the historian's style and approach as ironic, even satiric; a style that suggests the almost unbelievable nature of the affronts, so worthy of our ironic disbelief and satiric disappointment, that history commits against its unfortunates. Here, Schama describes the altruism, as well as the deceitful self-interest, of those who would help and hinder the American slaves caught in the paradoxes of the American declaration of freedom from British tyranny (Schama is particularly deft in describing the conflicts that Thomas Jefferson endured, and passed on, over slavery). British offers to accept and help free former slaves was tinged by self-interest, Schama notes, but also by extraordinary self-sacrifice, especially in the heroic efforts of the British abolitionist, Granville Sharp. In Schama's brilliant discussion, the personalities of this period, and the realities of slavery — its inescapable consequences — are memorably evoked.

This new publication is not yet available at VCU Libraries. Please look for it soon at Cabell Library.

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Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head, Preservation

This book demonstrates investigative journalism at its finest. I'm sure I'll read other books by this author. His research is thorough, well documented, and easy to read and understand. I am one who verifies references and follows up on statistics. This author has credibility. Lethal Passage is about gun control legislation, gun culture, and the industry. I wanted to learn more about the issues and why they evoke such knee-jerk reactions, especially in Virginia. This book answered many questions for me.

Larson makes the issues understandable by tracing the life history of a gun, a Cobray M-11/9, used by a 16-year-old to kill a teacher, injure and terrorize others in 1988 at a school in Virginia Beach. Following the progress of a single gun from design to homicide, the gaps in existing firearms regulations, standards, and responsibility become painfully obvious. I was amazed how cheap and easy it is to get a license to sell guns and that the gun industry has no standards governing licenses. It is much harder and more expensive to get a boat or car license, to become a substitute teacher, or even to get a license to carry a gun. Federal regulations, such as the McClure-Volkmar Act (1986) and the Gun Control Act of 1968, are so full of loopholes they are ineffective. The lack of a uniform system of federal regulations allows buyers and sellers to go where they can find the closest unregulated market. In many cases, it's right across town or the county line.

As Larson states on page 214, "it is always important, however, to read anything on the gun debate carefully with an eye to capturing distortion and undisclosed bias." He clearly shows his bias but makes a compelling case and offers a sensible five-part omnibus federal law he calls the "Life and Liberty Preservation Act", which he knows doesn't have a chance of being passed. Yet, the author cites surveys by the Louis Harris organization which indicate a majority of people favor registration of handguns or limiting their purchase. In this case, pro-gun lobbyists are more persuasive than public opinion, a situation Larson calls "The New Tyranny". Like the author, I am left wondering what will break our tolerance of gun violence. The history of federal gun legislation clearly shows that laws will be made only in the wake of some stunning event. How many people do you know who have been affected by gun violence? Whichever side of the debate you're on, this book will test your opinions.

Cabell Library HV7436 .L37 1994

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Reviewed by Barbara Anderson, Head, Cataloging

We all know about the Lewis & Clark Expedition across our continent in the early 19th century, but how many of us have heard of the South American expedition led by French scientists Charles-Marie La Condamine, Pierre Bouguer and Louis Godin nearly 70 years earlier? It was the Age of Enlightenment and among the scientific societies in Europe there was a rivalry in progress concerning the size and shape of the Earth. La Condamine & company set out to resolve the dispute by measuring the length of a degree of meridian at the equator. The lengths they went to in this pursuit of knowledge, the physical hardships they endured and the additional contributions they made to the scientific and geographic knowledge of this part of the world are mind-boggling and make for fascinating reading.

Just as fascinating is the story of Isabel Godin, daughter of a Peruvian aristocrat, who fell in love and married Jean Godin, a member of the French expedition. After the work of the scientists had been concluded and the expedition had disbanded, Jean made the arduous trip from Ecuador to French Guiana, from which he hoped to arrange for himself and his new family to return to France. Political and bureaucratic tangles prevented this plan from being realized and entrapped Jean in French Guiana for nearly 20 years. Finally, Isabel (the mapmaker's wife) organized an expedition of her own to rejoin her husband. It was unheard of for a female to undertake such a journey through the rugged Andes Mountains and the rain forests of the Amazon, with very few outposts of civilization along the way. In fact, few men had survived this trek.

Author Robert Whitaker has crafted a well-researched historical account that reads like an adventure novel and lives up to its subtitle, "a true tale of love, murder and survival in the Amazon!"

Cabell Library F2546 .W46 2004

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Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Head, Preservation

This book profiles the lives of seven people and how they used their time in the spotlight of fame. It's ironic how so many people struggle to become famous yet it's often the case that fame finds the person, not the other way around. The story of Melvin Dummar is especially poignant as he struggled to find fame as an entertainer but instead, fame found him when he received a will allegedly written by Howard Hughes leaving him millions. Dummar's story is interwoven among those of Maury Wills, Irene Cara, Jim Wright, Mick Foley, Susan McDougal, and Gerry Cooney. All had compelling ambitions, became famous, and reinvented themselves trading on their famous names. Their choices to be true to themselves—or not—are the stories behind the stories highlighted in this book. This is a good book to reflect on and learn something about yourself.

Cabell Library CT220 .G85 2005

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Reviewed by Jill Stover, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Known to many as a maverick of the marketing world, Seth Godin has no shortage of bold ideas, irreverent humor, and innovative marketing advice. His latest book All Marketers are Liars is a thought-provoking and fun read about what motivates people to buy. Godin asserts that a sound product is not enough to give companies an edge. After all, products can easily and quickly be copied and improved upon by competitors. What is much more difficult to imitate is the story behind a product that captivates consumers' imaginations.

Godin suggests that consumers tell stories, or "lies," to themselves about how a product will improve their lives, their looks, their image, etc. in some way, so that they are not really buying products, but stories. One example Godin uses is that of a wine glass maker who sells his hand-blown glasses for large sums of money because people believe that the glasses actually make the wine taste better, even though there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the claim is true.

According to Godin, marketers can and should play a role in crafting these stories. Despite what the title suggests, Godin doesn't advise marketers to lie, but rather to tell authentic tales about their businesses that resonate with their consumers' worldviews.

While I found the book to be a bit redundant, Godin writes in a conversational tone that makes All Marketers are Liars a quick, enjoyable read. If you like the book, you may want to read others by Godin including Purple Cow, Permission Marketing, Free Prize Inside, and the upcoming The Big Moo (October 20, 2005).

Cabell Library HF5415 .G5767 2005

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Blood Done Sign My Name is Timothy Tyson's account of a racial hate crime and the surrounding events that took place during his childhood in Oxford, North Carolina. In 1970, African American Henry Marrow was chased, beaten, and shot in the presence of several witnesses by Robert Teel and his sons. Despite overwhelming evidence, the men were acquitted of murder and the events leading up to and following the trial widened the already significant racial gap existing in Oxford. Tyson explores race relations, the civil rights movement, and small-town politics in this honest and well-researched work. He includes his own memories of the time, as well as others' perspectives, including that of the murderer, Robert Teel, civil rights activists, and his own father—a Methodist minister who challenged the white status quo by working towards racial equality and reconciliation in his own congregation.

Cabell Library F264.O95 T97 2004

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Robert Johnson, Education Services Librarian, Tompkins-McCaw Library

The Black Man's Guide to Good Health is a book of health advice aimed specifically at African-American men.This book's purpose is to empower its readers by giving them the information they need to make good choices. The first chapter is an overall guide to healthy living (involving diet, exercise, stress, etc.) and subsequent chapters discuss ailments individually. Each chapter contains a typical story of an afflicted person, meant to highlight symptoms, diagnosis, and management of the ailment. At the end of each chapter are resources for those seeking more information. The Black Man's Guide to Good Health is a good starting point for those seeking to improve their health.

Community Health Education Center RA777.8 .R44 2001

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Shayla Anderson, Community Health Education Center Intern

Woman to Woman, written by OB/GYN specialist, Yvonne S. Thornton, M.D., M.P.H. is a guide that provides women with first hand information on women's health and how to handle issues that may arise concerning their reproductive health.

Woman to Woman offers honest and simplistic information on many topics related to female reproductive health. Some areas highlighted in this book include an in-depth description of the female reproductive system, contraception, when a woman should begin to see an OB/GYN, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, how to find a good gynecologist, and other female problems.

Community Health Education Center RG121 .T49 1997
To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Preservation Librarian

When was the last time you rushed home to read a book? When was the last time you couldn't wait to read what happened next, made notes of places and people, and followed up on references? Bound for Canaan was all this and more for me. The author made history come alive! I knew little of the Underground Railroad and what I knew was so shallow I felt I had cheated myself by not learning more sooner. Forever I will carry in my heart the spirit of those who sacrificed for their belief in freedom and knowledge for all people. This is a very uplifting book.

The author makes history very personal. Each person's biography and struggles are skillfully woven into the history of slavery and development of the Underground Railroad. Chapters are divided by decades 1830 through 1850 after an introduction covering 1800-1820. The author relied on primary source material for his extensive research into the routes, financial links, personal connections, and thoughts of those he writes about. He has a website at http://www.fergusbordewich.com/ with more information.

Cabell Library E450 .B735 2005

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Renée Bosman, Government Information Librarian

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and you'll be unsurprised by anything in between. These words, by which Maya Angelou's mother lived, seem strangely apt to describe an autobiography of oppression and tragedy, but also of joy and humor. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings tells the story of Angelou's childhood, from Depression-era rural Arkansas to San Francisco at the height of World War II. Her life experiences of those first sixteen years and the issues they explore—integrity, self-esteem, race relations, and rape—make for a compelling read in their own right, but the greatest part of this memoir is the language itself. "For nearly a year," she says, "I sopped around the house, the Store, the school and the church, like an old biscuit, dirty and inedible." The vivid descriptions and imaginative metaphors make this book feel like poetry, and also make it a perennial regular on high school reading lists. Yet even if you have previously read this for class, I highly recommend picking it up again, to experience just for the sheer enjoyment of her words.

Cabell Library E185.97.A56 A3

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Celebrating Black History Month at the VCU Libraries

Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Frederick Douglass published his autobiography in 1845, when he was still legally a slave. This daring move followed his successful speeches at abolitionist rallies after he escaped from slavery. In his Narrative, Douglass tells of his life in Maryland and depicts the harsh and brutal reality of slave life. His eloquent writing style is surprising for someone with no formal education, but as a child he was sent to Baltimore, and his mistress there taught him to read. As he was exposed to progressive ideas in the city, he began to develop abolitionist views that eventually led to his decision to escape and speak out against slavery. This work is viewed by many to be a quintessential example of both autobiography and Slave Narrative genres.

To access this or any other known slave narrative, see the Documenting the American South North American Slave Narratives project.

Cabell Library E449 .D749 Various Locations

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Reviewed by Patricia Selinger, Preservation Librarian

Neaira was a woman living in Athens around 343 BC who had a lawsuit brought against her for living in a marriage relationship with an Athenian citizen. Neaira was a "foreigner" since she grew up in Corinth, which meant that she was Greek but not an Athenian. Athenians jealously guarded their kinship and laws against the influence of such foreigners. The author uses the trial to explore the status of women, Ancient Greece's social strata, Athens' litigious society and its jury system, ancient speechwriting, and how a long-standing personal feud between two men in Neaira's life was fought out in the courts. Mystery, intrigue, lascivious behavior, sensational speeches, and controlled anger among the real-life characters make this an interesting study of ancient Greek history and people.

Cabell Library KL 4115.6 .N43 H36 2003

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Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Bill Bryson, who has written nonfiction books on various subjects, including the joys and trials of hiking the Appalachian Trail, his love of England, and small-town America, has outdone himself with A Short History of Nearly Everything. He attempts to explain the history of scientific discovery of our planet and our universe—from to the smallest atomic particles to the largest expanse of space. The highest praise I can offer this book is that despite the fact that it is about science, I was hooked. The tone is funny, entertaining, and educational, and the facts are presented in a way that the reader can understand, whether they are from a scientific background or not. Physics, astronomy, geology, biology, chemistry—it's all there. Bryson weaves these fields of knowledge together to present a whole picture of the world in which we live, and does so in a way that encourages the reader to not take life on earth for granted.

Cabell Library Q162 .B88 2003

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Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

Reading Lolita in Tehran provides an interesting perspective on Middle Eastern culture—from the point of view of a female literature professor in Iran. Nafisi recounts her experiences pre- and post-revolution, and details how women's freedoms in Iran became more and more restricted. She frames her story around four fiction texts: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Daisy Miller by Henry James, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Part of Reading Lolita in Tehran takes place in the university classroom, where her students struggle with the implications of fiction—particularly western fiction—what does fiction accomplish? Should fiction be censored? Should the subject matter in fiction be judged according to a moral code? The other part of the story takes place in Nafisi's home, where she meets regularly with a group of young women to discuss literature. Although they are from strikingly different backgrounds, and hold differing views regarding the political and social changes in Iran (such as the controversy of whether women should wear the veil), they form a strong bond with the books they read and with each other as they attempt to cope with the challenges in their own lives.

Cabell Library PE64.N34 A3 2003

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Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

If the title itself doesn't pull you in, take a glance at the "Rules and Suggestions for Enjoyment of this Book" ("The first three or four chapters are all some of you might want to bother with...The book thereafter is kind of uneven") and the lengthy and random Preface, Acknowledgements and Appendix. The middle content is actually quite amazing and entertaining as well. This is Eggers's memoir, written when he was in his late twenties and had already experienced more than many people two and three times his age. Before his senior year of college, both parents died of unrelated types of cancer within a few weeks of each other. That said, this is a surprisingly non-depressing book.

Dave becomes unofficial guardian of his eight-year-old brother, Toph, and together they move from the Chicago suburbs to Berkeley, California. The writing is so experimental and striking, and the content so varied, it is difficult to describe more of the plot so I'll just mention a few of my favorite situations described in the book: Eggers at school with Mr. T's children; early days of Might Magazine, which he founded; his near-miss getting on MTV's The Real World San Francisco--he was beaten out by Jed (who ends up working for Might Magazine, ironically); finally, in a later edition is a hilarious true story about him, his friends, and a whale in the San Francisco Bay. Today, Eggers edits McSweeney's (check out the Lists on the website), a literary journal and publishing house which he founded; he has also published a novel, You Shall Know Our Velocity (2002), a collection of short stories, How We Are Hungry (2004), and has edited various anthologies.

If you like this book, you may also books by consider less "heartbreaking" humorous nonfiction authors, such as David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day; Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim), Sarah Vowell (Assassination Vacation; Take the Cannoli), or Bill Bryson (A Walk in the Woods; In a Sunburned Country).

Cabell Library CT275.E37 A3 2000

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Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian

In the years since this book was published in 1997, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman has become required reading in many medical and nursing programs. It is a well-researched and impartial look at the clash between American health care providers and immigrants from Eastern cultures. Tragedy is set in motion when a Hmong family who had immigrated from Laos to Merced, California takes their infant daughter to the emergency room during a seizure. Her American doctors diagnose Lia Lee with severe Epilepsy while her parents attribute the seizures to qaug dab peg, or "the spirit catches you and you fall down." While Western medicine focuses on healing bodily problems through medicine and physical treatments, the Hmong prefer animal sacrifices and shamanism, as they believe spiritual healing will correct the physical symptoms. Language barriers, cultural differences, and misunderstandings about medicine doses lead to more confusion and problems as both sides struggle to care for Lia. This book highlights the importance of understanding immigrant cultures and the beliefs about illness and treatment that inform different worldviews.

Tompkins-McCaw Library RA418.5 .T73 F33 1997

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