suggested reading

On This Day: January 21

On this day in history, the great author George Orwell died in London. Perhaps best known for his dystopian novel 1984, George Orwell was a proponent of social justice in his time. Today we read his books and take from them the lessons of equality, freedom, and justice that were being expressed in the 1940s. The library has a great collection of books, videos, e-books, and more that you can find here, or by searching for George Orwell on NUCat. Take some time out to read or re-read some of the 20th century’s finest literary works!

Sept. 29, 2010: On This Day in History

On September 29, 1987, my lovely sister Jacqueline Ratner was born. Happy 23rd sis! In other, more scholarly-related news, on September 29, 2008, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell a record 777.68 points after the House voted against a $700 billion financial recovery plan. It was a very somber day that wrote this 21st-century recession in stone. Two years later we are supposedly rising out of the recession, and a lot of valuable lessons have been learned by experts, businesses, and individuals alike. As students, and for the future of this country, it is important that we learn from mistakes in the past so we can keep making that “cash-money.” The library has always had books on finance, as it is one of the most popular majors at Northeastern, but now you can find newly added post-recession books on how to manage your money. Keep that beer-money coming in all of your life by taking a look at some of the great new additions to the Snell Stacks. The Roller Coaster Economy: Financial Crisis, Great Recession, and the Public Option Too Big to Save? How to Fix the U.S. Financial System Guide to Financial Markets

Need a new book?

Can you believe September is ending already?! I know that classes are in full swing, which inevitably means late night study sessions in Snell, long papers and lab reports, and lots of coffee. But if you’re a Communications major like me and you have a lot of free time on your hands (JUST KIDDING) you might be looking for an interesting book to read. Well, I can give you three, thanks to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, which includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. The primary characters are Lisbeth Salander, an intelligent computer hacker in her twenties, and Mikael Blomkvist, a middle-aged, womanizing investigative journalist. Throughout the series we learn both characters have certain personality flaws, but regardless, you can’t help but root for them as they battle a slew of bad guys, including crooked businessmen, deplorable rapists, and freakish murderers. This is a series that both males and females can enjoy—Lisbeth is a strong female character who resonates with women, but the strong plot led by Blomkvist is packed with enough action to keep the guys interested. If you’re still not convinced, the trilogy has turned Larsson into a #1 International Best Seller (tragically he died before the books were published and never got to see the success of his work). A Swedish film company has already turned the books into movies, but if you’re not into subtitles, the first American adaptation of the trilogy starring Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist is set to be released next year. Personally, I can’t wait. Although I have nothing but praise for Larsson’s work, I should probably issue a warning that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starts out slow. But once you are past the first one-hundred pages or so, you will be hooked. So next time you get a study break, check into Snell and check out Larsson’s thrilling series. Happy reading!

Sept. 27, 2010: On This Day in History

On September 27th, 1998 a record was set that we would have never thought could be done, and one we never thought would be repeated. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his record-setting 69th and 70th home runs in the last game of the season to beat out Sammy Sosa in the Home Run race. At that time, the use of steroids wasn’t even a consideration. Years later, when the record was impossibly broken by Barry Bonds*, there were countless questions, accusations, and investigations to his sudden power surge. This resulted in the largest exposure of a drug scandal to hit professional sports ever, and has spurred on completely new areas of study about sports, regulation, and the standards by owners that lead to drug abuse. New to the University Libraries are some books written on the subject in the current year, past much of the controversy and accusations. These books are able to reflect and give a fresh perspective now that most athletes involved have been named and regulations imposed. The effect is far from over however, as we see stricter testing and more importance being put on the public image of individuals as well as entire teams and sports organizations. Here are some sample titles in Snell Library’s collections: Doping in Sports Athletes who Indulge Their Dark Side Bad Sports: How Owners Are Ruining the Games We Love and more!

Summer Reading exhibit needs your suggestions!

To all blog visitors/posters: We are in the process of creating a summer reading exhibit to go in the large display case just off the lobby of Snell Library. Please leave comments here with any suggestions for books that you would recommend as summer reads. For the sake of popular wisdom (I may be saying this more as a reminder to myself than anybody else), please suggest books that are fast-paced, accessible, maybe cinematic reads. We will include several new releases, but also older books that stand the test of summer-reading time. We want to include mostly books that are on the shelves in Snell. Look forward to reading your suggestions.