Beginning in December of last year I have been reviewing all the books I read and some of my favorite zines right here on my blog. From 12/1/08 to 11/30/09 I reviewed 96 books and zines. Here are some statistics and links to my top 20 of the year...
Alzheimer's Disease is horrible and scary and horrible. It's I think a little less horrible and scary and horrible as depicted in this novel by neuroscientist Lisa Genova. The narrator is an extremely intelligent and even-tempered Harvard professor with early onset Alzheimer's. While reading the page turner in about a day, I was often moved to tears. The originality of the premise—the telling of the story from the point of view of the patient—and the convincingness with which Genova depicts it are unmistakable. However, do you see a however coming?
I don't like to write bad book reviews. Normally, I don't finish books I don't like, but with young adult books, it's easier to keep going even when they suck. So this is my warning to you, should you not heed the fact that Deepak Chopra supplied one of The Seven Rays' blurbs: just because Ms. Bendinger wrote Bring It On and Stick It, the latter of which I love with all my heart, does not mean she can or should write novels.
And the weirdest thing, she thanks the cover designer in her acknowledgments.
Among Sandy Berman's latest recommendations to the Library of Congress Subject Authority Cooperative is CYBERCHONDRIA.
Call for Proposals –
Poster Session proposals are due on January 4, 2010!
The 2010 National Diversity in Libraries Conference, NDLC2010: From Groundwork to Action, will take place from July 14-16, 2010 in Princeton, NJ. The National Diversity in Libraries Conference (NDLC) is a biennial event that serves as a regional meeting for library staff members to discuss diversity issues, especially issues common to the host region's culture.
The 2010 NDLC Planning Committee invites you to submit a poster session proposal for the conference. Proposal submission details...
Librarian crush of the irregular period: Cherie Yanek
I first met Cherie in 2004 before the Republican National Convention came to town. I heard that the NYC Radical Cheerleaders ("I'm sexy, I'm cute, Political to Boot!") had a library school student in their midst who sported an anti-USA PATRIOT Act button when she cheered.
Milo told me to read this, so I did. It's about a prom crazed high school senior who changes from Jill to Jack four days of the month, as she has since the onset of menstruation.
Excitement and Adventure is such a librarian zine! It's basically a fanzine about prohibition era gangsters, which Lacey researched with abandon at the Minnesota Historical Society.
At first I was very excited to know about the SACO Summary of Decisions from the Weekly Editorial Meeting postings (Thanks, Bill), but now I'm irritated that they don't keep up with the Weekly Headings lists. The week 48 listings have been posted, but the rationale is at least two weeks behind. Do I let my commentary lag as well, or not? I say not, so…
This week 47, November 25, 2009 on LCSH Watch:
I probably can't talk about this book without spoilering it, so proceed with caution, especially Danna, to whom I am going to mail it as soon as it's safe to go back to the post office. (i.e. after Santamas)
The first back of the book blurb likens the title character to a 21st century Lolita, but I think she's more similar to a blogging Go Ask Alice.
