Learning | Science! It's what's for Summer Reading

Science is the word this summer! We have science-themed programs for adults, teens, and kids. The adult theme is "Literary Elements;" for teens, it is "Spark a Reaction," and, of course, for children, it is "Fizz, Boom, Read!"

This week, let's talk about "Literary Elements," the theme for adults. Most of us realize that the library has books full of scientific facts in the non-fiction and reference areas of the collection. But we have some fiction that's scientific, too.

Fiction

I cannot think of a better fiction series to link to the "Literary Elements" theme than Camille Minichino's Periodic Table Mystery series.  The main character, Gloria Lamerino, is a retired physicist, who has a second career as a science consultant for the police. (She also happens to be in love with a police detective.) She has an amazing scientific mind and her share of foibles, and interesting friends; what's not to like?

Each book in the Periodic Table series focuses on a particular element, which is central to the solution (no pun intended) to the mystery, for example, "The Nitrogen Murder." These are fun reads, and not too gruesome. Think of them as cozy science mysteries.  

Fun fact: Camille Minichino visited the Tracy Branch Library some years back. There was a library program about mystery writers, and she was on the panel.

Science Fiction

There is another fiction genre that dovetails nicely with this year's theme: science fiction.This genre is chock full of interesting stories and talented writers.  Science fiction stories are based on imagined and/or future worlds. They often feature scientific or technological advances. Some of these worlds portray dystopian societies, for example, Ray Bradbury's classic, Fahrenheit 451, in which books are burned. (Eek!)

Not fiction, but a really good story

Biographies are accounts of real people's lives. I find that reading a biography can be as engrossing as a fictional story.  

For example, read this book by Berkeley neurobiologist Sybil Lockhart: Mother in the middle: a biologist's story of caring for parent and child. 

Many of us have had the experience of caring for an elderly parent with dementia, and caring for our own children at the same time.  Lockhart's story is especially interesting, because her expertise in neurobiology allows her to alternatively marvel and cringe at the effects of the disease progression on her mother--and at the developmental biological effects occurring in her growing daughters. 

Teens Only | And Speaking of Fathers...

Sunday, June 16th is Father's Day. Since this is a library blog, after all, I thought I would talk about a book that always reminds me of the bond between a father and child.

To me, that book is Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. By the way, the Library has this book in every format imaginable, including playaway, compact disc,and downloadable from the Library's Overdrive site, so there really is no excuse not to read it.

A little history on the book: A Wrinkle in Time, a science fiction/fantasy novel by American writer Madeleine L'Engle, was first published in 1962. It was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1963. 

What's it about? In a nutshell, it's the story of 14-year-old Meg Murry, who is seen by many as a bit of a troublesome child. Her family, though, knows she is destined for great things. By the way, her family includes her beautiful mother, her athletic 10-year-old twin brothers, Sandy and Dennys, and her super-genius 5-year-old brother Charles Wallace Murry, who can sometimes read Meg's mind. It also includes Meg's scientist father, a government scientist, who has gone missing after working on a mysterious project called a tesseract.

The story starts when a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and fantastic journey that will threaten their lives...and our universe! 

I'm not going to spoil the joy of reading this book for you, so I'll say no more. But suffice it to say, when I read this book for the first time, I really, really liked it. And I remember being very moved by the relationship between Meg and her father.

It's time for me to read it again. And I will do just that this weekend.

Because after all it's Father's Day. 

And a Happy Father's Day to my Dad, a truly incredible man who lives on in our hearts.

Happy Reading.

 

Learning | Trebuchets

Guys in armor ready to launch a soccer/foot ball with a trebuchet in Orléans, France. Photo from Charles Hutchins' photostream on Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.

One of the great benefits of reading extensively is the chance to encounter new words, and new contexts for words we have already heard.  For example, take the word "trebuchet." I think the only use I remember seeing for the word is as the name of a font. In fact, it is this font. Our standard font for this blog is called "Trebuchet." Our blogging team chose it because it looks clean and it's easy to read. I wondered about the origin of the name, but never really pursued the matter. 

Then I happened upon the term during an exciting chapter in Jeff Hirsch's Magisterium.  

I should back up and tell you about this book, which is a science fiction story that takes place in the twenty-second century.  A customer told me he thought I would like the book, so I checked it out. I was immediately drawn to the main character, sixteen year old genius  Glennora ("Glenn") Morgan.  Her mother left when she was six. She leads a lonely existence with a father who tinkers obsessively on a project in his workshop. Her main sources of comfort come from her studies (she does extremely well in school, and dreams of traveling to a distant planet,) her devoted cat, and her best friend Kevin. But Kevin's been acting different lately; he seems to think that the authorities are lying to the public about what's on the other side of the Rift, a forest border that protects them from a wasteland. 

I don't want to give too much of the story away, but Glenn and Kevin must flee across the Rift. They are pursued; at one point, the enemy sets up a framework with a thing that looks similar to a catapult--which turns out to be a trebuchet. 

 

So, I won't spoil the story, but I will tell you that reading the book only made me want to read more books by Jeff Hirsch. I hope Magisterium turns out to be part of a series.

I told my son I had just learned the meaning of "trebuchet." He was quite surprised that I didn't know it was an ancient weapon. If it had been short enough to be a Scrabble word, I might have looked it up sooner. If only I had bothered to ask him, he could have told me. 

I don't yet understand why this font is called Trebuchet. I don't see a visual resemblance to the weapon.  Maybe the inventor of the font just liked the name, or liked ancient weapons. Or maybe it is named after a person with the surname Trebuchet.  If I find out, I'll let you know.

If you would like to learn more about trebuchets and catapults than I could possibly tell you, you might like to read William Gurstelle's The art of the catapult : build Greek ballistae, Roman onagers, English trebuchets, and more ancient artillery.

Hmm..."onagers?" Those are weapons? I thought they were animals in the horse family....

Teens Only | Unwind

At first glance, you might expect this post to be about relaxation. You know, unwind. Let go. Etc., etc.

But au contraire, as my French friends will say. This post is about one of the BEST books I've read in a long time. And I challenge you to read it as well.

It's Unwind by Neal Shusterman. I stumbled upon this book when picking up my vacation reading. I'd read another by this author several years ago (The Schwa Was Here...also a great book). So I thought...why not?

I don't know where to start.

Unwind. Wow.

This science fiction story takes place after the Second Civil War, a battle waged between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice armies. The premise of the story is that human life cannot be touched from the moment of conception (i.e. no abortion). But parents can choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process of "unwinding." So any young person between the ages of 13 and 18 can be unwound, meaning all of their organs are harvested and transplanted into various recipients. They're not "technically" dead. What? No more counseling for troubled youth...oh no. They get unwound!

In this gripping story we meet Connor, a bit of a rebel, who learns that his parents have chosen to unwind him. He's none too happy about this decision, so he takes off. And it goes from there.

Not everyone in this future society is in favor of unwinding. There are some seemingly altruistic types who want to help these young people -- actually, to save them -- until they turn 18 years of age and can no longer face the dreaded unwinding. I say they are seemingly altruistic because...well, you'll know what I mean when you read the book.

I'm telling you: you've got to read this book. There was one part toward the end where I think I read almost 2 pages without taking a breath. Seriously. I felt I was there -- with the character -- observing a truly horrific thing. That just tells you how amazing a writer Neal Shusterman is. He grabs you on the first page and doesn't let you go.

I'm not usually a reader of science fiction, but this one is not to be missed.

There is a sequel to this book: Unwholly. I'll be picking that one up soon. But I'm still reflecting on Unwind.

Let me know what you think. Until next Saturday, happy reading.