Skip to Content
« Previous Page

Staff Picks Format: Book

Border Songs by Jim Lynch []

book-jacket

view/request

Brandon Vanderkool’s extreme dyslexia and height give him a peculiar perspective, which proves handy once his father pushes him off their Washington dairy farm into the Border Patrol. Though he used to just jump over the ditch into British Columbia, he’s uncomfortable in this uniformed role and instead indulges his obsession with birds and art while incidentally spotting smugglers and illegal immigrants who are provoking an already paranoid society.

Tagged: ,

The Botany of Desire : A Plant’s-eye View of the World by Michael Pollan []

book-jacket

view/request

Do we choose what to plant in our gardens? Or do the plants choose us? Learn about four common plants and the human desires they inspire: the apple and sweetness; the tulip and beauty; marijuana and intoxication; and the potato and control. Pollan weaves an interesting tale with observations from philosophy, natural history, botany, and his own gardening experience.

Tagged: , ,

The Alchemist’s Daughter : a novel by Katherine McMahon []

book-jacket

view/request

A student of Isaac Newton, John Selden believes he can turn his daughter into a brilliant natural philosopher and alchemist. Secluded in their ancient house, with only two servants for company, he fills Emilie with knowledge and records her progress obsessively. After encounters with two strangers, Emilie discovers that for all her extraordinary education she has no insight into the workings of the human heart. When she tries to return to the world of books and study, she instead unravels a shocking secret that sets her on her true journey to enlightenment.

Tagged: ,

Asimov’s Mysteries []

book-jacket

view/request

A collection of short stories, each of which could equally well be described as science fiction and as a mystery. These stories are fun, amusing, and all the more charming for being a little dated. A quick, easy read.

Tagged: , , ,

Stephen Fry in America by Stephen Fry []

book-jacket

view/request

Join Stephen Fry, the English actor/writer/director/tweeter, as he visits each of the North America’s fifty states. This book is an interesting and humorous account of the American experience from a European perspective.

Tagged: , ,

« Previous Page