Category: Book of the Day

Can your speech be silenced?

Muzzled book cover

Not too long ago, a liberal radio personality on NPR was fired for discussing his own social prejudices, saying those in Muslim garb on airplanes trigger something in him that makes him uncomfortable (“worried” and “nervous,” he states).

Was this an inappropriate firing? He was, after all, sharing his opinion on another network. And, also, in the full context of the interview (view a discussion on CNN of it here), his argument included a discussion of the dangers of using religion to label someone as dangerous?

You won’t get an argument from us about if it was right or wrong, but you can read Juan’s take on it. His book, Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate, discusses his firing and the effect it had on his career. He also discusses what it implied to the modern media and the implications it has towards others who wish to express opinions and/or honest feelings that might not be of the most popular opinion.

So check it out, currently on our new books shelf, and see for yourself.

One famous hacker’s story

Kevin Mitnick has seen behind the security barriers of Sun, Motorola, and at least dozens of other big name companies. His years of evading the law made him an increasingly annoying target for the FBI, and today’s featured book, Ghost in the Wires, is his memoir of his time on the run. It’s an exciting story of deception, hacking, false identities, and being on the run. Whether you see Mitnick as a hero or a villain, you’ll have to admit his pursuits were quite clever

Book of the Day: It Gets Better

Last year, there was a fairly large campaign to address those suffering discrimination for sexual orientation. In the wake of multiple tragic events, Dan Savage birthed the “It Gets Better” campaign, and many celebrities, sports teams, and companies followed with contributions.

The companion book by Savage,  It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, is on our New Book Shelf, on the second floor. In addition to text versions of many of the original shared stories, it includes expanded versions and new contributions.

Maybe it’s just this librarian, but reading these expanded versions, a little more thought out than just an on-the-spot YouTube video, have a little more impact when understanding what someone might have to go through, and the impact hurtful actions have on someone’s life.  It also shows that whatever obstacles one must push through, the light at the end is worth getting to.

For similar resources, check out these LibGuides.

I promise this has nothing to do with Charlie Sheen

What’s got our society so focused on winning? Or maybe, why is there a cultural stigma so greatly attached to losing, and how many victories over losses must one have to be, forgive me, Winning?

Francesco Duina’s book, Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession, tries to investigate the American fascination with being a winner, and tries to figure out what culturally counts as success and the journey to get there.

This book is recommended for anyone interested in current events, sociology, or pyschology.

Get familiar with Information Literacy

Information Literacy (and you’ll find a million variations of definitions) is  one’s ability to find information, verify its quality, and understand how and when to use it properly. Sound confusing? Kind of a “know about knowing” riddle?

A book about to hit our shelves, Using Technology to Teach Information Literacy, is a compilation of real-world examples of how people are being taught info literacy in classrooms. That makes this a great resource for faculty members, BUT! by understanding how other students learn, it could be a really powerful tool for students.

Information Literacy is valuable for all disciplines in understanding how you can research, stay current, and be well-versed and accurate in your own discipline.

A look at our plastic usage

A few years ago, it seems a strong shift was made from plastic water bottles to aluminum. The big scare, whether or not justified, was that there may be cancer-causing agents in some plastics. It’s not hard to think of other interactions people have in daily life with plastic items, and not all bad. Author Susan Freinkel wrote Plastic: A Toxic Love Story after evaluating her own dependencies on plastics, and researched the history, production, risks, and benefits. Freinkel’s discoveries are eye-opening. Even if one disagrees with some of her findings, the history behind the rapid growth in synthetic material use is enough to make anyone look at the world a little differently.

Find out who got your windshield

Birds are starting to show up again. Granted some didn’t go away, but as the cold leaves Johnson County, more and more of our feathered friends come out of hiding. Some are beautiful, others boring, all willing to ruin a perfectly washed car.

So whether you’re looking to find out what beautiful creature you saw atop a fence post, or what menacing demon you caught fleeing the scene of the crime, The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds, by (you guessed it!) Richard Crossley, is ready to help you! Over 500 pages of bird-identifying illustrations and information can make you the Bird Expert you may not have known you wanted to be.

Learn how to take advantage of RSS feeds

 

Do you follow blogs or news sites for class? Maybe you use journal databases for assignments or research? All of these sources and more can be sent to you instantly upon updating if you take advantage of their RSS feeds.

In today’s book RSS for Educators: Blogs, Newsfeeds, Podcasts, & Wikis in the Classroom, the author John G. Hendron shows how utilizing a reader can assist teachers in keeping their classes fresh and how to simplify research.

But you don’t have to be a teacher just to get use out of this: students would be wise to see all the ways they can keep up with course-related information. This book should be of interest for teachers and students, particularly distance learning, interactive media, classes that have heavy research or discussion of current events, or anyone looking to incorporate technology into the classroom.

Let’s go into the world of high fashion

Amongst those considered to be the most elite in the world of clothing design, the idea of couture in fashion involves the best of the best pushing their craft to it’s most (extreme, and sometimes extremely odd) realized form. In Couture in the 21st Century, compiled by writer Deborah Bee and photographer Rankin (of course he only has one name), you’ll see some of the most famous fashion designers’ most extreme work. Tucked in with the pictures, you’ll also find essays from famous fashion personalities like Oscar de la Renta, discussing where the clothing world is heading.  This is a great resource for fashion students, art students, and fans of design in general

Shocking true crime in today’s featured book

Adam Walsh (now of Code Adam fame) was a 6 year old boy when he was kidnapped from a  Sears and eventually decapitated. Maybe one of the most famous child abduction cases, it led his father to create and host America’s Most Wanted, created new department store safety protocols for children, and was finally solved 25 years after the fact.

Bringing Adam Home is a true account of that painful 25 year process, of dedication to pursuing justice even when all positive outcomes have been eliminated. Author Les Standiford collaborates with Detective Joe Matthews, who worked the Adam Walsh case for years, to bring a comprehensive telling of the long journey of finding justice.  For readers with an intrest in true crime, child advocacy, forensics, law, and general non-fiction.