Book Spotlight: An Ordinary Man

Rusesabagina, Paul (2006) An Ordinary Man, New York: Penguin Group.

I remember watching the evening news in the spring 1994 and wondering 1) What was happening in Rwanda? 2) How could this happen? and 3) Why wasn’t anything being done to stop the slaughter? This book, at least, attempts to answer some of those questions. Paul Rusesabagina was the manager of a luxury hotel in the capital of Rwanda. He was a Hutu, and when the slaughter of the Tutsis began, protected more than 1200 of them in his hotel. He called in all favors owed him, bribed, reasoned, and somehow prevented the slaughter of those in his care. The movie, Hotel Rwanda, is based upon his experiences. Over 800,000 Tutsis were killed in a three month period. From his perspective, with the 1200 he rescued, he only stopped the killing for four hours. This book was recently received at the Orem library along with a book called Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher Browning. While I have not read it yet, it asks the questions of how seemingly good and ordinary men could have been cold-blooded murderers of tens of thousands of Jews during WWII. While both books deal with ordinary men, the choices each make determines whether they are heroes or villains.
Review by Karen Newmeyer, Orem Campus Librarian

Book Spotlight: Moorhead Collection

Review of The Essential HBO Reader by Gary Edgerton
For the cinema lover, cable’s movie channels are heaven on Earth. Over the last fifteen years, HBO has built a strong and enduring reputation for edgy and evolving programming. In this book, a reader will be taken through the major categories of HBO programming from drama to comedy to sports with examples of the major successes in each category. In addition, the reader will take a backstage look at the background and history of the productions, including the budget, director selection and in some cases, what inspired the production. For example, did you know Tom Hanks was inspired to create From the Earth to the Moon when he was reading Andrew Chaikins’ A Man on the Moon as part of his research into Jim Lovell for Apollo 13? Read more in this cinema history!

This book can be found in the Moorhead Circulating Collection 384.5552 ESS.
--Read and reviewed by Dan Hoare, Moorhead Campus Librarian

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Five Quarts: A Personal and Natural History of Blood by Bill Hayes.

Are you fascinated by blood? Or do you faint at the sight? This book tells the story of how humans have come to learn about our blood and how it affects our society. The author moves between ancient views and beliefs about blood to his own experience dealing with the AIDS virus. Everything from Odysseus to Dracula, and ancient medical treatments to cutting-edge blood tests are discussed. The author is able to mix his own personal encounters with blood and the historic and folkloric ways it has been viewed in the past. This book is a fascinating look into medical and social history, as well as a great insight into the way we view blood today.

This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 612.11 HAY.--Read and reviewed by Erica Nutzman

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Flesh Wounds: The Culture of Cosmetic Surgery by Virginia Blum.
Why do 16 year olds think they need breast enlargement or a nose job? Is erasing the bump on our nose erasing our heritage? The answer may be here. This book is an intriguing look into the world of cosmetic surgery and how it became such a prominent part of our culture. We look at celebrity magazines and wonder who has had surgery to make them look the way they do, and many of us want to look that way too, regardless of the costs. The author moves from personal stories of her own cosmetic surgery and interviews with doctors and patients, to research into personal identity and the obsession with celebrity. This is an eye-opening book that looks at the issue of cosmetic surgery from many different angles and without judgment. It will make you think twice about how you view cosmetic surgery and yourself.

This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 617.95 BLU.--Read and reviewed by Erica Nutzman

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Postmodernism for Beginners by Jim Powell, Illustrated by Joe Lee
“Postmodern” is a word that gets used in many different places and in different ways, but do you know what it means? Books about Postmodernism tend to be full of very dense, difficult language, but the Beginners series seeks to demystify and explain complex ideas and people. (If you like the book’s style, check your local public library for other books in the series – there are dozens!) Powell and Lee’s presentation of the foundations and concepts that have shaped Postmodernism and how it relates to our everyday lives is supplemented with pictures and examples you’ll actually be able to wrap your head around. Do not, however, assume that this will be a very easy read, or a short one – you may need to have one of our libraries’ dictionaries of philosophy or Wikipedia on hand if you can’t tell Nietzsche from Freud, but you’ll come away with a much clearer understanding of what “postmodern” means, and how it applies to you.
This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 149.97 POW.
--Read and reviewed by Mary Burns

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello.
Would you like to read a play, but don’t know much other than Shakespeare? Are you fascinated by characters on TV or in films that seem to take on a life of their own? Are you looking for a short but absorbing read? Consider Nobel Prize-winning playwright Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author. During a routine play rehearsal, a director is approached by six mysteriously related figures who ask to have their story played out on the stage. As the sordid details unfold, the lines between fiction and reality and between the physical stage and the stage of the mind begin to blur. The nature of the story the characters are living in (or perhaps are trapped in) is rather ill-defined, and the dialogue can become confusing, but the patient reader will be rewarded with Pirandello’s unique insights about actors, characters and the dramatic process.
This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 852.912 PIR.
--Read and reviewed by Mary Burns

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Reading Lolita in Tehran: a memoir in books by Azar Nafisi.
This book is a memoir of surviving the Iranian Revolution by a female English professor living in Tehran. Politics became very personal as she was forced out of her job at the University because she did not want to wear the veil. The women in Iran came under immense scrutiny after the country became the “Islamic Republic” and there were “morality police” patrolling the streets to make sure women were not showing any hair or wearing any makeup. Since she could not teach at the University any more, Professor Nafisi started her own clandestine English Literature class in her home with select female students. This is the story of the revolution through her eyes, and the lessons she and her students learned through the literature she taught. This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 820.9 NAF.
--Read and reviewed by Erica Nutzman.

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Rapunzel’s Daughters: what women's hair tells us about women's lives by Rose Weitz.
Have you ever wondered if you were the only one who has issues with your hair? Believe me, you’re not! This book is filled with women’s stories of how their hair has affected and been a part of their lives. There is a short history of how we got to the point of being obsessed with our hair, and then the author moves quickly on to talk about how hair, and lack of hair, can affect our lives and our relationships. She discusses the culture of the salon and how women can communicate to the world through their hair. Hair is an important part of our lives and the author helps us understand the ‘why’ behind it. Whether your hair is long, short or non-existent, this book has something for you. It may even make you feel better about your own hair. This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 391.5 WEI.
--Read and reviewed by Erica Nutzman

Book Spotlight: Brooklyn Center Collection

Review of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

This is the first book in a fiction series that follows the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, the only female detective in Gaborone, Botswana. Mma. Ramotswe uses her keen instincts to solve case after case, from mysteries involving witch doctors and missing children to the private detective staple - cheating spouses. Each chapter brings to life the beautiful details of Botswana: the Kalahari desert, diamond mines, acacia trees, and redbush tea. There’s also a frightening encounter with a cobra that will have you at the edge of your seat! The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is charming, and easy to read. Check it out today!

This book can be found in the Brooklyn Center Circulating Collection 823.914 MCC.

--Read and reviewed by Carrie Brooks

Book Spotlight: Richfield Collection

Review of Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs: a popular history of ancient Egypt by Barbara Mertz .
This book is a fantastic introduction to the culture of Ancient Egypt. It is clearly written, fast-paced, and reads like a novel (the author is also a novelist!). It starts with the first glimmers of civilization, moves through the time of the pyramids, instability, and spends time discussing the heretic pharaoh, Akhenaton and his son (?) Tutankhamun. The author includes excerpts of ancient writings that have been translated from papyri, and discusses what they can tell us about life at the time. She describes the first “Egyptologists” and their discoveries and blunders. There is a lot we don’t know about Ancient Egypt, but this book is a good overview of 3000 years of Egyptian history.
This book can be found in the Richfield Circulating Collection 932 MER.
--Read and reviewed by Erica Nutzman