Featured Books & Movies

An epidemic of books

heidenwt — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:31 -0500

While she offers her sympathies to all those suffering from the flu, Irene also gently suggests some titles as reminders that things could be much, much worse.

It could be 1918...
Flu: The story of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and the search for the virus that caused it by Gina Kolata

It could be cholera in 19th century London...

Irene's latest pick: The Cup

heidenwt — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:25:32 -0500

So many adults resist films with subtitles that Irene recommends starting kids off early. Try this Bhutanese sports film about a group of boys living in a Tibetan monastery who will do whatever it takes to watch the World Cup. Light and fun and something that the whole family can enjoy (or at least those who are old enough to read).

Ghoulish reads

heidenwt — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:46:01 -0400

Just in time for Halloween, Irene recommends some reads with a common ghoulish theme: the afterlife of corpses. Never one to shy away from fetishes, Irene is especially intrigued by the bodies of political or religious figures.

Stiff: the curious lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach

Wordy books

heidenwt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:07:49 -0400

Lately Irene has noticed a slew of new fiction revolving around words, books, or characters who write. It’s the type of stuff that makes her heart beat faster. Check these out:

The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault
A recent college grad working for a dictionary publisher uncovers a mystery with clues in unusual citations.

Irene's latest pick: Night and the City

heidenwt — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:34:11 -0400

Those who enjoyed "The Wrestler" should try this wrestling-themed film noir set in 1950s London. Irene had to cover her eyes during parts of the climactic wrestling scene and quickly tired of Mary, the enabling, martyred girlfriend.

Influential books

heidenwt — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:57:29 -0400

A display in Skillman's periodicals reading room and on Flickr highlights "books that changed America."

NYRB Classics

heidenwt — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:20:08 -0400

The NYRB Classics imprint publishes an eclectic mix of titles. Among Skillman's recent additions from this collection is One Straw Revolution, which Michael Pollan has called "one of the founding documents of the alternative food movement."

Title attractions

heidenwt — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:59:29 -0400

Lately Skillman’s Irene Noodleman has been reading rather than watching movies and has found herself drawn to some new collections of short stories with titles that speak to her. Chief among them: Both ways is the only way I want it by Maile Meloy.

A few other new short story collections with intriguing titles (and stellar reviews):

Irene's latest pick: Divorce Italian Style

heidenwt — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:35:23 -0400

Great myths re-told

heidenwt — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:43:06 -0400

For a new spin on old tales, try Canongate's myths series. Popular authors such as Jeanette Winterson, Margaret Atwood, Ali Smith, and Alexander McCall Smith re-imagine classic myths to wonderful effect.

Find a list of the series titles by performing a title search in the Library Catalog for Myths (Canongate Publishing)