Book of the Week (February 8, 2010)

Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box

By Madeleine Albright

Call Number: NK 7303 .A43 A43 2009

Publisher's Description: New from New York Times bestselling author and former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, Read My Pins is a story and celebration of how one woman’s jewelry collection was used to make diplomatic history. Exploring the use of the pin or brooch as a means of personal and diplomatic expression and featuring a gallery of fascinating photographs, this unique, intimate, and revealing biography offers a whole new side of Secretary Albright, one of our most beloved public servants.

Part illustrated memoir, part social history, Read My Pins provides an intimate look at Albright's life through the brooches she wore. Her collection is both international and democratic—dime-store pins share pride of place with designer creations and family heirlooms. Included are the antique eagle purchased to celebrate Albright's appointment as secretary of state, the zebra pin she wore when meeting Nelson Mandela, and the Valentine's Day heart forged by Albright's five-year-old daughter. Read My Pins features more than 200 photographs, along with compelling and often humorous stories about jewelry, global politics, and the life of one of America's most accomplished and fascinating diplomats.

Book of the Week (February 1, 2010)

Conquering the Sky: The Secret Flights of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk

By Larry E. Tise

Call Number: TL 540 .W7 T569 2009

Publisher's Description: Despite their great achievements following their first powered flights in 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright still enjoyed virtual anonymity until 1908. In seven crucial days in May of that year, however, the eyes of the world were suddenly cast upon them as they sought lucrative government contracts for their flying technology and then had to prove the capabilities of their machines. In these pivotal moments, the brothers were catapulted into unwanted worldwide fame as the international press discovered and followed their covert flight tests, and reported their every move using rudimentary telegraphs and early forms of photography.

From the brothers’ rise to fame on the historic Outer Banks, to the quickly expanding role of the world press and the flights’ repercussions in war and military technology, Tise weaves a fascinating tale of a key turning point in the history of flight.

Book of the Week (January 4, 2010)

Cornflakes with John Lennon: and other tales from a rock 'n roll life.

By Robert Hilburn

Call Number: ML 423 .H5876 A5 2009

Publisher's Description: Robert Hilburn’s storied career as a rock critic has allowed him a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of some of the most iconic figures of our time. He was the only music critic to visit Folsom Prison with Johnny Cash. He met John Lennon during his lost weekend period in Los Angeles and they became friends. Bob Dylan granted him his only interviews during his "born-again" period and the occasion of his 50th birthday. Michael Jackson invited Hilburn to watch cartoons with him in his bedroom. When Springsteen took to playing only old hits, Hilburn scolded him for turning his legendary concerts into oldies revues, and Springsteen changed his set list.

In this totally unique account of the symbiotic relationship between critic and musical artist, Hilburn reflects on the ways in which he has changed and been changed by the subjects he’s covered; Bono weighs in with an introduction about how Hilburn’s criticism influenced and altered his own development as a musician.

Corn Flakes with John Lennon is more than about one man’s adventures in rock and roll: It’s the gripping and untold story of how popular music reshapes the way we think about the world and helps to define the modern American character.

ROBERT HILBURN, the long-time pop music critic and editor of the Los Angeles Times, is one of the most widely read and respected pop writers of the rock and roll era. His reviews and artist profiles have appeared in hundreds of publications around the world. Hilburn is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination committee. He lives in Los Angeles


LA Times Review of the book and additional information about the author

Book of the Week (December 14, 2009)

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: the True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession

By Allison Hoover Bartlett

Call Number: Z 992.8 B37 2009

Publisher's Description: A compelling narrative set within the strange and genteel world of rare-book collecting: the true story of an infamous book thief, his victims, and the man determined to catch him.Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books.

In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be.Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them.

Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love.

NY Times Sunday Book Review

Book of the Week (November 30, 2009)

On Display in the Library lobby. Stop by the Library and check out the Anime exhibit!

Call Number: NC1766.J3 D73 2003

Anime explosion! : the what? why? & wow! of Japanese animation

By Patrick Drazen

Publisher's Description: Suddenly anime is . . . exploding. But where did Japanese animation come from, and what does it all mean? Written for fans, culture watchers, and perplexed outsiders, this is an engaging tour of the anime megaverse, from older arts and manga traditions to the works of modern directors like Miyazaki and Otomo. Read about anime standbys like giant robots, samurai, furry beasts, high school heroines, and gay/girl/fanboy love-even war and reincarnation, plus all of anime's major themes, styles, and conventions. At the end of the book are essays on 15 of fandom's favorite anime, including Evangelion, Esca-flowne, Sailor Moon, and Patlabor.

"A good resource and guide to the foundation, historical development and overall themes in Japanese animation and serves as an excellent reference source whether you are an established fan or a person who wants to learn about the cultural aspects of this specific and increasingly popular genre. It is an easy yet thorough read on the myriad of societal aspects and cultural references Japanese animation holds." — Active Anime

ABI Inform Complete Added to Library's Business Databases

Two new components have been added to ABI Inform, one of the Library's business databases.

ABI/INFORM DatelineSearch a unique resource focusing on hard-to-find local and regional business news coverage of large corporations, privately held companies, local start-ups, executive profiles, marketing, finance, and industry news. Provides access to business information not typically found in national news sources. Contains news and analysis, information on local markets, and more gathered from major business tabloids, magazines, daily newspapers, wire services, and city, state, and regional business publications.

ABI/INFORM Trade & IndustrySearch more than 1200 business periodicals with a trade or industry focus. Provides users with the latest industry news, product and competitive information, marketing trends, and a wide variety of other topics. Contains publications on every major industry, including finance, insurance, transportation, construction, and many more.

Both are located in the ABI Inform Complete (Proquest) database, and are listed in the Business and Communication categories under “Article Databases by Subject”. The new additions are funded through the UW System/Council of UW Libraries.

Book of the Week (November 16, 2009)

New DVD series in the IMC - check at the desk on the 3rd floor of the Library
Call Number: E 160 .N246 2009

The National Parks: America's Best Idea
A Film by Ken Burns
PBS description of the series: The National Parks: America's Best Idea is a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. As such, it follows in the tradition of Burns's exploration of other American inventions, such as baseball and jazz.

The narrative traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years. Using archival photographs, first-person accounts of historical characters, personal memories and analysis from more than 40 interviews, and what Burns believes is the most stunning cinematography in Florentine Films' history, the series chronicles the steady addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them and save them from destruction. It is simultaneously a biography of compelling characters and a biography of the American landscape.

For more information visit the PBS website and their accompanying guide For Educators.