The Librarian's Lounge

Vicki Myron: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Randall Fitzgerald: The Hundred-Year Lie
Focuses on the synergies created by various toxins interacting with each other within one's body. This is a scary book that points out over and over how little we know about some chemicals and how our daily exposure to them bio-accumulates and is responsible for a lot of ill health. Especially in the US, where many chemicals that have been banned elsewhere continue to be used with the FDA's continued approval. Cites lots of research and gives a timeline of how we've gotten to this point of exposure to all these chemicals in this country. Very well researched and written.

George Rodrigue: Blue Dog Speaks
I love the Blue Dog. I want to rip this book apart and hang the pictures all over my walls.

Jennifer Perkins: The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girl's Guide to Handmade Jewelry
Now I know how to make lots of things - trouble is finding the time. My favorite part of this book was learning the magic of making resin jewelry - I love that stuff. The book is very colorful and the directions clear - I'm not crazy about many of the actual designs presented in the book (although I love the retro kitschy feel of it all), but I think this is a good guide for learning techniques.

Katie Mullaly: Scare-Izona: A Travel Guide to Arizona's Spookiest Spots
I can't wait to use this book to plan a trip.

Michael Moore: Mike's Election Guide 2008
I hope others will get beyond the sarcasm and anger (not without reason) of this book and digest the factual information, because there's a lot here to investigate further. It covers politics and timely issues about this election, from a liberal point of view, in a way that's easy for everyone to understand. One should read the book's notes and sources for further information on his political opinions. He knows his stuff. I only wish the book could have been available sooner so that libraries everywhere would have had it for their patrons well before the election.

Ian Smith: Emily and the Intergalactic Lemonade Stand
The news and a very long historical novel are keeping me busy at the moment, so I picked this up for light reading. It was cute, suitable for kids and adults in its storyline and humor. I liked Pheef the best.

John Annerino: Dead in Their Tracks: Crossing America's Desert Borderlands
Extensive chronological history of all known deaths along the Mexico-Arizona border. Also included photos and maps of the area.

Daniel Radosh: Rapture Ready!: Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture
Interesting look at the intersection of Christianity and pop culture. I particularly enjoyed learning about the "Left Behind" series, the many niche bibles publishers are producing, and the religion-themed parks. This is the first book I've seen that has its own online webliography to accompany the book, layed out by chapter - I used it extensively to see for myself the things Radosh reported on.

Qanta A. Ahmed: In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom
Memoir of a doctor's time in Saudi Arabia. Eye-opening and interesting.

Sara Varon: Robot Dreams
I loved it! This graphic novel is almost entirely without words and suitable for all ages. It's the story of a dog who builds a robot that winds up being his good friend, and what happens to the two of them after a day at the beach. The drawings are so cute.

Helena Norberg-Hodge: Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh
This is an excellent account of the Ladakhi people and how their world was before it was exposed to Western influence. It then describes the changes the society underwent after western-influenced development and tourism moved in. Main themes include environmental sustainability, spiritual/emotional wealth vs. material wealth, the meaning of poverty, social structure, the role of the family, personal independence and interdependence, religion, cooperation, perceptions of need, and the influence of greed. Insightful and very relevant to today's environmental concerns.

Seiichi Hayashi: Red Colored Elegy
Afraid I just didn't get it.

Anita Jain: Marrying Anita: A Quest for Love in the New India
I enjoyed this book about an american woman who returns to the place of her birth, India, to find love.

John Annerino: Vanishing Borderlands: The Fragile Landscape of the U.S.-Mexico Border
Photographic essay about the areas of the Southwest that are the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Like Drawing Blood
Gotye: Like Drawing Blood

Last Days At the Lodge
Amos Lee: Last Days At the Lodge

Two Way Monologue
Sondre Lerche: Two Way Monologue

Here Be Monsters
Ed Harcourt: Here Be Monsters

New York City
Brazilian Girls: New York City

The Pearl
Harold Budd & Brian Eno: The Pearl

The Sky Observer's Guide
Amy Cook: The Sky Observer's Guide

Fire Songs
The Watson Twins: Fire Songs

Juno
Original Soundtrack: Juno

Modern Guilt
Beck: Modern Guilt