February reads

Crossroads faculty are reading a variety of books, including titles recommended by students.  Seventh grader Reid suggested Ender's Shadow to Amy after he learned that ninth graders read Ender's Game.  Ender's Shadow is a companion novel to Ender's Game, both by Orson Scott Card.

Keith is reading Sixth Column by Robert Heinlein, a classic science fiction writer.  I recently added Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land to the Crossroads library collection.

Mike is listening to Keith Richards' Life and reading The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict Between America and Al-Qaeda.  Mike asked me to guess which one is more enjoyable.

Shadi is immersed in the life of another kohl-wearing celebrity, Cleopatra.  Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff's latest is Cleopatra: A Life.

Billy just finished the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant.  It was the first time he had read a book on his Kindle and he says he loved it.  Gerry is exploring an earlier episode in American history as described by David McCullough in 1776.

Anne Treeger-Huck has turned to short stories for the moment; she is rereading James Joyce's "The Dead," the final story in his Dubliners collection.  Read The Dubliners this very minute, courtesy of Project Gutenberg.  Project Gutenberg includes over 33,000 books that are freely available for download to your "ipad, Kindle, Sony Reader, iphone, Android or other portable device."

Dave says, "I am reading A Box of Matches by Nicholson Baker--a sweet, gentle book.  A middle-aged man records his musings as he sits in front of the fire early in the morning while his family is still asleep.  Although the whole book is thus set in one room on several consecutive mornings, the range of his philosophical musings is vast."

Finally, your friendly librarian just began I Love a Broad Margin to My Life, by Maxine Hong Kingston.  Upon turning 65, Kingston reflects on aging, her life, friendships, and the characters from her novels in a flowing free verse form.  I have admired Kingston ever since reading The Fifth Book of Peace.

The future of the printed book

Enjoy a taste of the witty, intelligent article/review about the future of digital and printed books by Jason Epstein, legendary former editor at Random House.  He reviews a new book called Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business in the Twenty-First Century by John B. Thompson.   You won't be able to read the entire article unless you stop by your public library or book store and grab the Feb. 10, 2011 issue of The New York Review of Books.  You might be glad to know that Epstein's (and Thompson's) conclusion is that the printed word will be around for quite some time longer, as well as libraries.

I read the article while visiting Barnes & Noble, which reminds me to tell you that the Barnes & Noble "Nook" is the best e-reader to buy, simply because it allows you take advantage of free e-books from your local public library.  Many libraries offer access to Overdrive, a huge database of e-books, audio books, and videos that can be downloaded to your Nook e-reader, mp3 player, ipod or personal computer at absolutely no charge.  None of the other e-readers offer the option of viewing free books from Overdrive.   My librarian friend is very pleased with her Nook.