Looking for a book to read this summer? The Golden Library staff specializes in helping the Greyhound community with their educational needs, including reading recommendations. Here are their summer selections:
Melveta Walker
Library Director
"Shanghai Pierce: a Fair Likeness" by Chris Emmett
"This is a biography of Abel Head Pierce, one of the original cattle barons (Big Pasture Men) of Texas. It tells how a young man from Rhode Island stows away on a freighter, lands in Galveston with a few pennies in his pocket, works 20 hours a day to develop a cattle herd, just to follow his dream of being able to gaze at a Longhorn. Regional and local history, especially the agricultural aspect is of great interest to me, and ‘Shang,' all 6 feet 5 inches of bones was appealing."
Susan Asplund
Public Services Librarian – Special Collections
"Through Time and the Valley" by John Erickson and Bill Ellzey
"This book is a recounting of a summer horseback ride through the Canadian river valley of the Texas Panhandle taken by the author and photographer of the book. The trip was taken as an in-person exploration of the history of the area and yarns that accompany it. When they finished the ride, their experience was recorded in text and pictures."
Richard Baysinger
Media Services Librarian
"Regina's Song" by David and Leigh Eddings
"I chose this book because of how the story made me feel about family, including non-blood extended ‘family.' It is a murder mystery novel, with some fantasy themes present as well. The story focuses on a set of twins where one twin is murdered and the surviving twin seeks out the killer. A family friend is the narrator of the novel."
Regina Bouley Sweeten
Archivist, Special Collections
"Fire Watch" by Connie Willis
"It's a collection of short stories, so it's a great introduction to her as an author if you don't have the time to commit to a novel. It still has the well-crafted, can't-put-it-down quality of her longer works, like Doomsday Book. I read this book right before I got to meet Connie at this past year's Jack Williamson Lectureship. It was great to be able to read work by someone who comes to the Lectureship since I was able to hear her speak in-person about her writing process."
Gene Bundy
Special Collections Librarian
"Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday" by John Steinbeck
"‘Cannery Row' was written before World War II and tells the story of Doc, who gathers sea creatures for research institutions, a group of homeless men led by Mac and other residents of Cannery Row. ‘Sweet Thursday' picks up the story after World War II. Doc had been drafted and his lab was vandalized while he was gone. Cannery Row has changed, but Mac and the boys are mostly still there. I probably haven't re-read more than 12 books in my life. I have read these two books at least six times. I know these people. I'm related to some of them. I see some of them in Wal-Mart and Farmers Market every time I go shopping. I've helped some of them when I worked retail, and I've helped some of them here at Eastern. They are people I know and like and enjoy spending time with."
Sherrye Burleson
Media Services Assistant
"Love Does" by Bob Goff
"I enjoy reading inspirational books about people who are dedicated to loving and helping others in need. Bob is a lawyer who teaches at Pepperdine University as well as being a partner in a law firm in California. He is definitely not a typical lawyer. He is an inspirational speaker who travels all over the world and has experienced many exciting adventures with his family. Bob traveled to India to rescue teenage girls from sex trafficking and he serves as the Counsel to the US for the Uganda government as well as building a school in Uganda for underprivileged children. Bob says that love is not just a word, it should be an action, and he is a very inspiring example of that philosophy."
David Falkowski
Government Documents/Public Service
"The End of Philosophy, the Origins of Ideology" by Harold Mah
"Well written. It doesn't require deep knowledge of Hegel to be understood. I started reading it for two reasons: First, there is a lot of brouhaha about communism lately, so I wanted to find out some things. Second, I'm interested in the philosophical/social influences on the Nazi party and Germany in general pre WW1."
Krystina Ferrari
Library Technical Assistant/Circulation
"Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Laini Taylor
"It was a well-written YA book that was nearly impossible to put down. This is the first book in the trilogy but the series starts amazingly and just keeps building. It's a fantasy about a girl with blue hair and otherworldly creatures as friends/family and has them in a conflict with other beings that are considered angels. ‘Daughter of Smoke and Bone' is difficult to explain, but enthralling to read."
Lilah Gainey
Serials, Acquisitions and Systems Librarian
"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand
"After listening to a discussion of this, I just had to read it for myself. I wasn't disappointed. On the surface, there was the intrigue of a business woman in charge of a company in the infancy of the intercontinental railroad era. The underlying business negotiations give rise to philosophical and moral conflicts within society. It's a story from the concrete to the idealistic, filled with many twisted layers and plot lines. It's a fun non-stop read."
Heidi Greathouse
Public Services Librarian/Cataloging
"Edenbrooke" by Julianne Donaldson
"This is a proper romance set in the 1800's and I like it because it has the excitement of romance in it and is family-friendly. I actually got the book for free a couple of years ago and it had the author's autograph."
Christopher Haraughty
Library Technical Assistant/IRC and Systems
"The Complete Calvin and Hobbes" written and illustrated by Bill Watterson
"The amazing adventures of a boy and his tiger. Exquisite illustrations and exceptional writing. Any questions I have about life, I have found the answers inside the pages of Calvin and Hobbes. All the cool kids read it!"
Debbie Lang
Library Technical Assistant Special Collections/Acquisitions
"The Charley Davidson" series by Darynda Jones
"I could not decide on only one book, so I chose to do the series. I chose this series because it has funny moments that make you laugh out loud, mystery that keeps you guessing, a little romance thrown in and paranormal elements. Most of the books are set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Darynda Jones is a local author, she lives here in Portales. She is super funny and so very sweet. These books are amazing reads and take you to another world in your mind from the very beginning."
Michele Wood
Distance Education and Interlibrary Loan Librarian
"Straw Bale Building: How to Plan, Design and Build with Straw" by Chris Magwood and Peter Mack
"The popularity of straw bale building has grown significantly over the last twenty-five years. It's an inexpensive, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly method of building a home. The book includes complete DIY plans addressing design, safety and building code issues, climate considerations, and architectural quality drawings and photographs. The authors are professional straw bale house builders, but write for the nonprofessional—it's not too technical! I've had a long-standing interest in sustainable housing of all types, and this is one of many books I've read on the topic."
Visit the Golden Library in Bernalillo Hall for all of your summer reading needs. For more information, visit http://www.enmu.edu/golden-library or call 575.562.2624.
