the NMH Library Blog

May '09 Bookmark of the Month

Favorite Reads of 4-Year Seniors! Class of 2009! Woo-hoo!

Andre Gobbo

One of my favorite books is A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. I really enjoyed the book because there was a riveting plot line, and the development of the main characters is superb. I also enjoyed some of the intentional ambiguity by the author, because that kept me continuously interested as to what was going to happen next.  

Cam Margeson

Snow by Orhan Pamuk. I read this book before traveling to Turkey earlier this year and was taken by the story.  It is the story of a writer who returns to Kars and finds inspiration, romance and political unrest.  Snow shows readers what it is truly like to live in the Turkish "deep state".

Eshalla Merriam

The first book that jumps to mind is one that I read this past summer called Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal by Mal Peet.  It is a war novel about a spy's granddaughter uncovering their family's history after his unexpected suicide.  I was drawn to this book first of all because the cover was shiny and literally caught my eye.  And just as it is indicated, this is a book about espionage, passion, and betrayal which was very intriguing.  I recommend it to anyone who is interested in this time period or anyone who is looking for a good read.

Omoefe Ebhohimen

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I love this book because it tells the story of two rival groups the Greasers and the Socs, and how their worlds collide. The main character, Ponyboy, meets a girl who is part of the Socs, and finds he has more in common with her than he could imagine. As the story unfolds it's interesting to see how both individuals potentially learn from one another. This book is full of, passion and vivid description. It should be on everyone's reading list.

Ruth Shafer

I recommend The Book of Everything by Guus Kuijer. I read it sophomore year, and loved how quirky and imaginative it is!

 Tessa Gobbo

My favorite book right now is A Heartbreaking Work  of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. I read it my creative non-fiction class. I liked it because it was a great read, that staggered in both heartbreaking and genius moments!

April 09 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring the FIVE FAVORITE READS of
NMH History teacher,

Grant Gonzalez

T.R.: The Last Romantic, by H.W. Brands

Mr. Gonzalez:  "In this mammoth biography, Brands adeptly relates T.R.'s 'strenuous life,' beginning with Roosevelt's inauspicious sickly childhood and throughout his unceasing exploits and adventures. Although Brands's book has not been the most acclaimed study of T.R., I personally found it more engaging and insightful than Edmund Morris's treatment of our 26th President. "

The Book of Job

Mr. Gonzalez:  "The Book of Job deals with those big nagging philosophical questions of why evil persists in our world, and the purpose of suffering. A beautiful book, it reminds me to keep questioning my own beliefs and traditions while knowing that I will never reach any final stage of omniscience (and that's all right!). "

Children of Gebelawi, by Naguib Mahfouz

Mr. Gonzalez:  "Mahfouz is the Arab author most well known globally, and deservedly so. Children of Gebelawi (or alternatively titled as Children of the Alley), allegorizes on the three 'religions of the book' - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and their three respective prophets. "

The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Mr. Gonzalez:  "I just borrowed Dostoyevsky's great masterpiece from the library and it quickly vaulted to my top favorite books! The central character is the author's attempt to create a naturally and completely "good" man. His interactions with 19th century Russian society provide an excellent reflection on social values for humanity as a whole."

The Butter Battle Book, by Dr. Seuss

Mr. Gonzalez:  " Certainly no other book on international relations theory is as entertaining as Dr. Seuss's treatment of the Cold War arms race. "

March 2009 Bookmark of the Month - Favorite movies!

          
Roman Holiday  "There is something about this movie I find truly comforting.  I think every girl deserves a Roman
         Holiday."    

 

 

 

        
School Ties  "I like it because the movie parallels my life in a
boarding school, but mainly because it is a great film"

    
   

Farewell My Concubine  "This is soo much history and culture in this movie.  The story goes deep into your heart.  Not everyone can understand it if you don't know China well.  It's a three hour-long movie, but I wish it could be longer.  I have seen more than 1,000 movies and I've become very picky.  This is the only movie I LOVE all the time, and couldn't find anything imperfect about it."

  

    Wall-E

 "The movie has one of the best storylines I have ever seen for an animated film.  The animation is stunning and the attention to graphics and detail is also amazing."

    

    
 The Godfather I & II  "These two almost flawless films have
 perfectly blended the theme of family loyalty and world of
          crime.  With 9 combined Oscars, and the only film awarded
          2 Oscars for the same character played by different people,
          Coppola made easily two of the greatest films of all time."

Feb 09 Bookmark of the Month -- Library Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, we're featuring ...

STUDENTS who LOVE THE LIBRARY
(Click on titles to check availability.)
..........................................................................

Kristin '10
        God of Beer by Garret Keizer

I read it in middle school -suggested by my librarian- and I really enjoyed it.  Its a good look at the lives of highschoolers and how they see things.  I think its a different and interesting look at the social side of high school. 

 

Shengyu '10
1984 by George Orwell

I really like the book 1984. It is written by George Orwell. It is a very interesting book on totalitarianism government.The life styles of commoners under such government are miserable and desperate. It is very scary to imagine living like that. It was very futuristic. It was written in the year 1949, 35 years before 1984. I feel that the author had very wonderful imagination.
Here are several quotes that I really like:
"The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth"
"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past."

Frank '09

Middlemarch by George Eliot.

My favorite book (of late) is Middlemarch by George Eliot. The book is appealing because, instead ofa story of heroes and villains, it is a story about people, and the complex bridges they build between each other. The town of Middlemarch is richly described and imagined and filled with delicious backstabbing, gossip and angst.

 



Faith '10
       The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Told from the perspective of Death, this is a fascinating story, and one of my favourites, not simply because of its subject matter, but because of the way in which the story is told.

Saskia '11
      The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis.

I love all of the Chronicles of Narnia, but this one is my favorite. The characters are life like and the plot never gets boring. It's one of those books that you can't put down and every couple of years you just have to read it again.

January 2009 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring, Tom Pratt, Director of Athletics at NMH

Undaunted courage : Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the opening of the American West - Stephen Ambrose
Mr. Pratt:  I loved the adventure and drama of the expedition, but also learned a lot about the political atmosphere of the time and Jefferson's interest and hopes for the American West.

Endurance; Shackleton's incredible voyage - Alfred Lansing
Mr. Pratt:  I love historical adventures and this one may be one of the greatest examples of leadership and man vs. nature and impossible odds.

The Game - Ken Dryden
Mr. Pratt:  Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame NHL goalie writes about the greatest game on earth. It was written in 1983 and I read it every couple of years.

Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission - Hampton Sides
Mr. Pratt:  Hampton Sides writes about the rescue of POWs who survived the Bataan Death March. Again, historical adventure. Amazing story.

Opus: 25 Years of His Sunday Best - Berkeley Breathed
Mr. Pratt:  Bloom County was my favorite Sunday comic and it ended. Then Berkley Breathed brought back OPUS and some of the characters from Bloom County and now its over, too.  These strips always made me giggle and I liked the collection books, too..

November 08 Bookmark of the Month

featuring  Director, Transition-Year Program; PG Academic Dean, English teacher

                             Pam Shoemaker

Pam writes:  I have many favorites including Wind in the Willows and The House of Seven Gables, but I have chosen these five titles because they have recently engaged me.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

This humorous book salutes reading. The Queen, while she can read necessary things, has never been interested in reading, which she considers a hobby and therefore better left to others. "It was in the nature of her job that she didn't have hobbies.  . . . Her job was to take an interest, not to be interested herself.  And besides, reading wasn't doing. She was a doer."  When the Queen discovers that she likes reading books, her staff is dismayed and her job suffers.  A quick and witty good read that may take you away from your work!

Falling Angels by Tracy  Chevalier

This author, best known for The Girl with the Pearl Earring, writes well researched historical fiction.  Set in Victorian London, this novel presents mourning and burial practices of the period. The angel monuments in one cemetery connect two daughters and their families in a story told by alternating family members.  Threads of the suffrage movement and a fated romance intertwine in multiple plots. 
Other Chevalier novels involve tapestry weaving in the 1490's, an 18th century family living next to William Blake, and a legacy of Huguenot history in a small French town. In each, the author plays with narrative structures.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

This well researched historical novel focuses on the rebellious and idealistic affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney.  Having left their spouses and a total of nine children, they spend five years together with self-interest in conflict with family responsibilities. The novel's ending is well documented in the press of the time and is definitely explosive. I was engrossed for a few days with this book, and paper grading and conversations suffered.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I prefer this second book to Hosseini's Kite Runner. Set in Afghanistan through the Soviet invasion, the Taliban rule, and post-Taliban rebuilding, this novel took me into the daily life of Kabul. An arranged marriage leads to unhappiness and abuse, while the women in the household engineer survival and foster love amid the rubble. I know that working with former TYP student Zuhra Abhar, who escaped from the Taliban, heightened my emotions for the reality of war-torn Afghanistan life.

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Published in 1946, this book has touched my life several times, starting with my first year at Earlham College when it was required for the all-school reading program. We read A Separate Peace in Humanities and then experienced Kennedy's assassination; Frankl's book was helpful in our making meaning out of the world around us. I read the book thirty years later in a counseling psychology course at UMass and was struck again by its advocacy for choosing one's attitude in difficult circumstances. Dusting books this fall as I muttered about things that distressed me, I again found Frankl, the concentration camp inmate, who developed logotherapy as a method for finding freedom and meaning in difficulty.

October 08 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring CUM LAUDE students!

Brodrick

My favorite book would have to be A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.  It's the first book in an elaborate fantasy series in which the author tells the story from multiple points of view.  This aspect of the book is intriguing because it blurs the conventional view of who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist, since, for each character, these roles change.  Another reason this is my favorite series is because the author is unafraid to kill off main characters, allowing for unconventional twists in the plot.

Jason

One of my favorite book is The Color Purple by Alice Walker for two main reasons. I particularly liked how persistent the author was with her use of graphical language and informal English in her writing which made it very easy to understand all aspects of the story. I also admired how she used these two techniques to effectively demonstrate the themes of transformation and perseverance in the book which I also found to be very inspiring.

Pascale

The Power of One and its sequel Tandia by Bryce Courtenay. This classic novel about South Africa before and during the apartheid is uplifting; the spirit of independence and change that lives in PK, the young, white English boxer and in the ambitious Tandia, makes us believe that 'the power of one' can overcome hatred and injustice. I loved the captivating denouement of the main character's life from a rejected five year old in boarding school to an internationally recognized boxer, to an advocate of justice for the black community under control of the Afrikaner regime that ends in a dramatic but beautiful finale. PK and Tandia become heroes we get attached too. Courtenay write with wit and humor, and brings the troubles South Africa went through to life, making us wish we could go back in time and change the course of history.

Lysander

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. This book is by turns hilarious, heartbreaking, surreal, frustrating, and ultimately moving. Foer's story is about the Holocaust, but also about more general themes such as history, family, community, and religion, and he tells it from several voices, times, and places. Still, it's remarkably cohesive, and endlessly compelling.

Ji

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is about love that extends beyond generations. It's about revenge. If you like any of the Bronte Sisters books, you will like this one, too. It's not like any other classical romance books you have read and will ever read. Bronte brings the characters to life with strong details. The plot is intense; there is always something happening in the book. You won't get bored reading it, you will love it too.

September '08 Bookmark of the Month

FeaturingNMH Religious Studies teacher,
VAUGHN ALLEN

Vaughn writes:

These are my 5 favorite books:

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky           

I like how Dostoevsky examines Raskolnikov's internal struggle -- and that his punishment is more that he knows he has committed a horrific crime (and how this weighs on his conscience) than his being sentenced by the law. I believe that there is much to learn from this example.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald          

My high school English teacher, Dr.DiGenero, proclaimed that The Great Gatsby was "the perfect novel" and taught it to our class with such passion that I couldn't help but enjoy the story and the rich symbolism contained within. As a result, it has always been a favorite of mine because it reminds me of this wonderful teacher and his love for literature.

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger 

How can you not enjoy a brilliantly written book which discusses sexuality and teenage angst? What I like most about Holden Caulfield's story is that it is in many ways everyone's story, in that we all struggle as we grow up. Salinger, I believe, depicts Holden's journey beautifully.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Golding, I believe, depicts extremely well in this novel, the "savage" instinct inherent in us all. What I like so much about this book is the way that the boy's "transformation" from civilized to savage is depicted so realistically. I found this to be a horrifying, yet wonderful story.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I first read this book in 6th grade and was amazed then, as I am still now, at how Orwell so brilliantly depicts society, the use and abuse of power, and man's inherently corrupting nature. There is much to learn from the "animals" in Orwell's masterful allegory.

May '08 Bookmark of the Month

Favorite Reads of 4-Year Seniors!

Eliza 
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

I have never been so breathless while reading a book. Woolf swept me up into her words and thoughts and endless sentences, and i kept having these wondrous moments of comprehension and sadness and wit. It is glorious. - Eliza

Jacob
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 

The man is a genius. He can capture the perspective of almost any character with incredible ease. Thum Thur book was right funny, yessir. - Jacob

Sarah
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Picoult takes the idea of school invasions and shootings and captures it perfectly.  The book deals with the social cliques and the parents involved when one teenager shows up to school with a gun.  As the readers, we are led to believe one side of the story and the end throws a quite surprising twist at us.  With witness testimonies and many hours of work under their belts, the families and lawyers work hard to get to the bottom of the case. - Sarah

Spencer
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Although I don’t not like any Harry Potter book, the second edition is especially enthralling because of the implications that rest in the realms of the Chamber’s existence, the dire consequences that Hogwarts faces in a year riddled with unforeseen triumphs and tragedies, and the turmoil and confusion that Harry, and his underdeveloped adolescent  prefrontal cortex, face. - Spencer

Tanner
Beloved by Toni Morrison

This book has been the most inspiring book that I have ever read. From everything from the point of view of the author to the distinct emotions and personalities of the characters, the book has intrigued me and changed the way that i think about my life. The book dragged me into the plot more than any other novel, and forced me to think of the meaning behind just the words or how the pages were set up in front of me. - Tanner

April '08 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring Favorite Reads of NMH English teacher

Meg Donnelly

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster
Ms.Donnelly: I read it when I was thirteen. It was  perfect combination for me- a mysterious benefactor, boarding school life and letter writing, it sparked my continuing love for epistolary novels and now that I think about it,probably my love for my husband, who wooed me by mail.

The Once and Future King by T H White
Ms.Donnelly: On every version of my top 5 reads (and there have been at least 20 versions) this title appears. It is not my favorite novel, but it is one of my favorite reads for all ages.  I can't wait to read it to my son, Mackinnon!

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 
Ms.Donnelly: My best friend once compared me to this novel's protagonist, Lily Bart somewhat disparagingly. I sat down and read the novel to find out what that meant. She is now one of my favorite literary characters and I take it as a compliment to have been compared to her.

Margaret Atwood  (Anything by )
Ms.Donnelly: For me, Atwood gets her characters exactly right. I understand them and how and why they make the mistakes  they do. if I had to pick one maybe Cat's Eye, no, Alias Grace,  or Wilderness Tips, oh I can't choose!

The Bone People by Keri Hulme
Ms.Donnelly: This is a New Zealand novel that I loved even before I loved New Zealand. It has three remarkably desperate and resilient characters. Each one I would find hard to understand or appreciate in real life, but I love them deeply on the page.

March '08 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring Favorite Reads of NMH Director of Multicultural   Education and Associate Dean of Students

James Greenwood

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Without hyperbole, this book changed my life.  The imagery and story-telling really inspired me and I loved how Morrison wove together both history and fiction.  There's no wonder why this book won a Pulitzer Prize.

Sula by Toni Morrison

Okay, I probably shouldn't put the same author on here twice, but this was my first book by Morrison.  Without a doubt, she is one of my favorite authors, and once again, it's her handling of complex relationships, but also the exploration of the nature between "good" and "bad" in this book that really resonated with me.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I read this in high school, prior to seeing the movie.  The relationship and bond between siblings is something that this book describes better than anything I've read.  The Color Purple helped me think about relationships (both romantic and platonic) in a whole new way.

Colored People by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Gates is one of the preeminent scholars in African American history today.  This was one of the first books I was assigned to read in college.  There's something about his coming of age story that I could really see myself in.   I read this book from cover to cover in a matter of days.

February '08 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring FAVORITE READS of
NMH Science teacher
Tabatha Lotze

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Ms. Lotze:  "These stories captivated my imagination as a child and I still love reading them as an adult! They have everything from a wicked witch to a talking mouse. "

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling   
Ms. Lotze:   "I started reading these when I was on deployment in the Persian Gulf.  It was a nice way to escape everyday into a magical world."

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Ms. Lotze:  "I loved the way this story took a event in history and allowed you to feel it on a personal level.  The way the author is able to explain a scene enables you to almost feel the snow falling."

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Ms. Lotze:  "I enjoyed this novel because it showed how difficult it is for people from different cultures understand the motives behind their behavior. 

The Book of Virtues
Ms. Lotze:  "What a great collection of poems, stories, and famous speeches to show us what is really important."

Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking   
Ms. Lotze:  "Gives a short but comprehensive explanation of the world in which we live."

January '08 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring FAVORITE READS of
NMH Director of Dining Services
RICH MESSER

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Mr. Messer: "How our eating choices affect not only our own and our children’s health, but the health of the environment that sustains life on earth. My work on NMH's sustainability task force and with exploring the Buy Local campaign leads me to reading books like this that explore fascinating food related topics - like why the grocery stores are arranged like they are ... and how we care for our environment."

The Chef's Companion: A Concise Dictionary of Culinary Terms , Elizabeth Riely
Mr. Messer: "EVERY culinary term you'd ever hear, or care to know what it means, from sauces to techniques, pronunciations and place of origin."

Feeding the Monster: How Money, Smarts, and Nerve Took a Team to the Top by Seth Mnookin
Mr. Messer: "Fun reading for every die hard Red Sox fan."

Five Acres and Independence: A Handbook for Small Farm Management byMaurice Grenville Kains
Mr. Messer: "A handbook of small farm management, which gives us a chance to look at how to sustain local agriculture and protect farmland too quickly being swallod up for develepmont."

Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy
Mr. Messer: "Too many people forget who won the Super Bowl in 2006. This book looks at the how tough times and personal tragedy helps builds strong character and makes life's rewards that much better to enjoy."

December '07 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring FAVORITE READS of NMH PIANO STUDIES Director

MARIANNE LOCKWOOD

Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters by Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution

Ms.Lockwood: "Wally Lamb teaches writing to women at York Correctional Institution, and this book is a collection of these women's writings about their difficult lives before they entered prison. They are powerful, distressing and yet hopeful stories."

The Lost Language of Cranes: a Novel by David Leavitt

Ms.Lockwood: "This book is about a young gay man who comes out to his family. Unbeknownst to him, his father is struggling with his own latent homosexuality. The story is raw and painful, and so beautifully written."

Dry: a Memoir by Augusten Burroughs

Ms.Lockwood: "In this biographical account, Burroughs describes his recovery from alcoholism. It is unabashedly honest and also hilarious."

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

Ms.Lockwood: "Bourdain describes what life is like behind the scenes in the restaurants he has worked in. Absolutely hilarious and sometimes shocking."

Hooked: Five Addicts Challenge our Misguided Drug Rehab System by Lonny Shavelson

Ms.Lockwood: "This book is a doctor's first hand account of the broken drug rehabilitation system. He follows addicts in various stages of recovery and relapse, and becomes their advocate and often their voice. This book take a while to get into, but as you read further, you become completely involved in the lives of these people, and really begin to understand the complexity of the problems with the system."

November '07 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring FAVORITE READS of NMH CLASSICS teacher

DAVID DEMAINE

(Click on titles to check availability)

The Iliad of Homer

The Aeneid of Virgil

La Divina Commedia by  Dante Alighieri

Mr. Demaine writes:

I read these every year. Every year I learn  and learn again so many things from these books. The Iliad seems to come from nowhere-completely perfect. In the other two, one feels the writer working. Dante's greatness is that he achieves perfection, Vergil's is that he (and we) struggle to figure it out.

The Aubrey/Maturin Series (Master and Commander) by Patrick O'Brian

The Virgin in the Garden,  Still Life, Bable Tower, and A Whistling Woman by A. S. Byatt

David Demaine writes:

Both multiple volume series (for those of us who hate to see books  end). Both great stories lasting many years, told by story tellers whose pleasure and delight in telling stories adds to the readers' enjoyment of the plots and characters.

October 07 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring CUM LAUDE students, Class of '07

Ilana '08
Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay. 

It's a great blend of fantasy and historical fiction and the different cultures the author creates are incredible.  Also, the descriptions and the characters are so real, along with real faults and imperfections.  With all of Guy Gavriel Kay's books I find myself falling in love with the people and becoming personally involved in their struggles and joys for a couple of hours.

George '08
The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens by Seyla Benhabib.

The author uses real-word examples combined with political philosophy to explore both humans' right to migrate across national borders and the rights a liberal democratic society has to regulate their behavior. I liked the way that the author is able to formulate ideas using pure logical thought processes while coming to reasonable conclusions.

Brook '08
The Elephant Vanishes: Stories by Haruki Murakami

This bundle of 15 short stories is one of my favorite literary collections! Murakami has a flair for crafting complex characters within the constraints of one paragraph, and then inserting them into a ridiculous situation the next. 'The Elephant Vanishes,' is simultaneously dark and humorous, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, thought-provoking and slightly absurd read."

Katherine '08
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story by Ben Carson, M.D.

Gifted Hands tells of how Dr. Carson became one of the world's most famous neurosurgeons.  Dr. Carson's story is amazing because he grew up in poverty and initially was a terrible student; but with the help of his mother, he was able to bring his grades up and go on complete medical school.  He first gained his fame by successfully performing surgery to remove Siamese twins joined at the head -- a risky procedure that no one else would even attempt.    

Emily  '08
The Princess Bride : S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman

This book is one I can always come back to and laugh. The details are wonderful, the story is delightful... Though, unlike most good books, the movie is just as wonderful, reading it is a well worth the time. Danger: do not start at night unless you wish to be up until all hours reading it.

Sept.'07 Bookmark of the Month

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from NMH Dean of Faculty
Hugh Silbaugh

A Short History of Nearly Everything (in print)
A Short History of Nearly Everything (audio recording)
by Bill Bryson

"Fascinating about science, natural history, and things I didn't know I would be interested in.  Lively, funny, and sharply interesting."

How Doctors Think
by Jerome Groopman

"An exploration of medical training and the challenges of making a complicated diagnosis.  Groopman argues that doctors typically diagnose patients too quickly, too impressionistically, and that routine is the enemy of thought.  I am intrigued by the idea that good questions are more enlightening than quick answers, and that medicine is a practice fraught with uncertainty."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling

"Better written than the other six, I thought, and I won a bet about what would happen to whom in the book.  No money traded hands."

A Great Improvisation
by Stacy Schiff 

"A great biography of Benjamin Franklin, one of three I read during an American Revolutionary War binge.  Well written, lively, fun throughout."

Team of Rivals
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

"After reading six or eight books about the Revolutionary period, I turned to the Civil War era, and this biography of Lincoln and discussion of his cabinet, formed of political opponents, is wonderful -- inspirational, really, especially in light of the sad current state of incivility in American political discourse."

Master and Commander
by Patrick O'Brian

"I've read and re-read all twenty-one of these novels about the British Royal Navy before, during, and after the Napoleonic wars, and they're a guilty pleasure."

May '07 Bookmark of the Month

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from
FOUR-YEAR SENIORS ...

Grace   The Time Traveler's Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger

"Once upon a time at a perfect time I read this book.  It is a fragmented, quirky love story that toys with the fantastical -a man whose medical condition causes him to time-travel to different parts of his life. A story for the unscheduled days of summer.  Read it in the non-linear afternoons of late July..."

Jeff    The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth Philip Roth

  “I like this book because it is a historical fiction that explores the outcome of WW2 if Lindbergh was elected president. It is based in fact but tells an interesting alternate reality from the perspective of a young boy. It also explore the race and religious issues of the time and shows how volatile America was during WW2.”

Seth    The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. 

“The Eye of the World is the first book in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, and a must read for anyone who enjoys epic fantasy. I love both the breadth and complexity of the characterization, and the unique setting for the story. The intricate plot twists and abundance of details found in any Wheel of Time book, in my opinion create a reading experience which is unrivaled by any other fantasy series

Rowan    Lolita Vladimir Nabokov

" 'You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.' That is, of course, a quote from the book.

Sheba    The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“I like this book because it explores the truth behind the idea of youth in our society. You also become so engrossed with the book, that you can't seem to put it down.”

April '07 Bookmark of the Month

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from
NMH STUDENT DIRECTORS...

Noah '07
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Carson McCullers

"Accessible, frighteningly perceptive, and heartbreaking in its illustration of those things we'll never reconcile, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was written by Georgia-born McCullers when she was 23.

Thanks to Dave Field for the initial recommendation."

Harry '07
Conversation at Midnight
by Edna St. Vincent Millay

"I found a beat up copy of this poetry collection/drama in the basement of Brattleboro Books.  Already excited by the Millay we had covered in Dennis Kennedy's Junior English class, I sat down and finished most of the book on the floor of that shop."

Dith '07
Fahrenheit 451 (in print)

Fahrenheit 451 (ipod audio)

byRay Bradbury

"This book puts a different spin on personal freedoms and what the government censors from everyday lives. Ray Bradbury looks into the future and poses the question 'What if all books were banned?' Fahrenheit 451 gives an interesting insight on removing offensiveness from the world by removing information from the people. This book is a must read for those interested in scary  possible futures for our world."

Sonny '07
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
By Max Brooks

"Forget about global warming: let's talk about some real issues.  Issues like cadavers rising from their earthy tombs and eating our brains.  This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it.  The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead.  It is a book that can save your life."

Sophia '07
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories
by Amy Bloom

"As a series of short stories, this book is great to pick up and put down as much as you want. Each story is a very touching in its own way, yet all of them encourage one to dive deeper and appreciate the bonds created between two people."

March '07 Bookmark of the Month

featuring favorite reads from the NMH TASK FORCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Becca Leslie

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century

I spend most of my day exploring the state of the developed and developing nations of the world, as do many of us at Northfield Mount Hermon. The media paint a bleak picture of our environment, leaving little hope for the individual. WorldChanging is a significant volume, arranged by topic (politics, business, community, shelter, etc), with short case studies illustrating the innovative businesses and products which are shifting the paradigm towards sustainability. It is honest and hopeful.

Carla Cevasco '07

Wandering Home: A Long Walk Across America's Most Hopeful Landscape, Vermont's Champlain Valley and New York's Adirondacks, by Bill McKibben (Click on title to check availability)

Bill McKibben is by turns humorous, sobering, and insightful. What a journey!

Jahyun Song '01

An Unspoken Hunger, by Terry Tempest Williams (Click on title to check availability)

This book helps a reader imagine the lush nature that is still around today. The book has such great imagery that reading one sentence brings the environment before your eyes.

Charlie Tierney

The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book: Faith, Family, and the Land, edited by Angie Cheek and Lacy Hunter Nix (Click on title to check availability)

I have been a fan of the Foxfire series for several decades.  Perhaps the student-driven aspects of the research, preservation and publishing efforts inspired me a a new teacher.  Or maybe I was struck by the importance of preserving the records of local communities -- their histories, stories and lore, crafts and recipes -- before the ways of older generations disappeared.

Richard Odman

That Old Ace in the Hole, by Annie Proulx

Looking for a career? Here's one that is all about deception, naivety, greed and stench all ground together in the dust and dirt of agribusiness hog farming in the Texas Panhandle. You too could be Bob Dollar, somewhat sincere but very much clueless.Towering everywhere over this demise of local agriculture lean staggering windmills which are an ever present mockery of a now unsustainable culture gasping for breath.

Sarah Rebick

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, by Edward Abbey

There are so many books related to sustainability that I love, but Edward Abbey is one of the writers I admire most. Abbey is brash and raw in his honesty. He doesn't leave anyone out when it comes to criticism (including himself) and provides gems of insight and instruction about living in an increasingly mechanized world. And Abbey loves the world for what it is, not for some romantic vision of idealized beauty.

February '07 Bookmark of the Month

Alison Ernst
Director of Library & Academic Resources

Children's Literature Selections

Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

"I received a boxed set of these books for Christmas when I was seven. I've re-read them nearly every year since then (several decades now). I loved (and still enjoy) C.S. Lewis' descriptions and dialog. though as a child I didn't consciously connect with the Christian imagery, I did feel the spiritual undercurrent throughout as a fresh breeze (as opposed to an oppressive, dogmatic doctrine). C. S. Lewis was a kind man, and I sensed this throughout his writing. Did you know his friend and colleague Tolkein was dismissive of the Chronicles, and encouraged C. S. not to try for publication? Thank heaven's C. S. didn't listen!"

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

"I ate many tomato sandwiches in my elementary years due to this book. Was my voracious journaling inspired by the tenacious Harriet? It was certainly aided and abetted. I will not see the movie. It will only disappoint me. Reading an edition with the original illustrations is a must."

Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

"This is perhaps one of Mr. White's lesser known children's books (in that, to my knowledge, no one has tried to make an animated or live-action movie of it). E. B. White creates entirely credible descriptions of calm, observant Sam and spunky though mute swan Louis with his chalkboard and trumpet."

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

"As a younger person I was fascinated by this story of hiding in a museum and conducting research to solve an art mystery. I consider this is a precursor to "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett." For information about E. L. Konigsburg: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/konigsburg.html

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

"It was hard to choose one of the classics written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton. The other two contenders which are significant in terms of documenting change in the United States in the early/mid 1900s are "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel" (competing technologies) and The Little House (tackles unbanization). The illustrations are detailed and elegant, the stories are simple and graceful. "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel" was first published in 1939, "The Little House" in 1942 (won the Caldicott medal that year) and "Katie and the Big Snow" in 1943.

For more information about the talented VLB, check out: http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/mike_mulligan/biohome.shtml

January '07 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring CAMPUS CONSERVATIVES

Theodore Samets '07

Miles Gone By: A Literary Autobiography by William F. Buckley, Jr.

"William Buckley changed politics in America and gave voice to what was before a large yet silent conservative movement. In Miles Gone By, he documents his fascinating life in his classic style as one of the best living American writers."

Eli Spector '10

Men in Black by Mark Levin with an introduction by Rush Limbaugh.

"The book is an informative and interesting read on how the Supreme Court is destroying what our Forefathers once believed."

Katherine DeVincentis "07

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom.

"It's a light read, making it east to revisit, which I often do. Each time I read it, I discover something new that I missed before-a line, a phrase, an implication. The book is very thought-provoking and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short, but impactful read."

Sara Potash "07

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser

"I chose this book because i thoroughly enjoyed reading it in Junior English. It is an interesting story of a young woman and her personal growth while living in the city of Chicago. Although I couldn't personally relate to the specifics of Carrie's story, the main theme of changing from experiences attained in a new place is something is something I can identify with."

November '06 Bookmark of the Month

..featuring
Director of International Education
Les Freeman

• Communicating with strangers : an approach to intercultural communication  by William B. Gudykunst and Young Yun Kim

Les says: "A great book when working, living, and interacting with individuals from around the globe.  This book really makes one think about the values we all hold and how we interact with one another."

• Survival Kit for Overseas Living: For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad by Robert L. Kohls

Les says: "Heading overseas any time soon?  This book is geared toward Americans planning to travel abroad but great for anyone wanting to learn more about traveling to a different culture other than their own."

• Culture from the Inside Out: Travel and Meet Yourself by Alan Cornes

Les says: "When experiencing another culture, have you ever asked yourself "Why do they do it this way?"  Or "If this culture would only..."  Questioning cultural differences is part of traveling to a cultural different than your own.  This book will assist you (I believe ) to question more about your culture and how you fit in with the world instead of trying to have the world fit in with you (and your culture)."

• Bitter Fruit: The Untold Story of the American Coup in Guatemala by Stephen C. Schlesinger, Stephen Kinzer, and Harrison Salisbury

Les says: "Having spend a bit of time in Guatemala, this book discusses the history and struggles of a country in transition.  A book that I am current reading, it discusses the beauty of a country with a scarred past and the involvement of the United States in that history."

October '06 Bookmark of the Month

Featuring CUM LAUDE students, Class of '07

Susan Travis

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

My favorite book is Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard.  Dillard captivated me as a freshman at NMH, and her words continue to weave the fabric of my dreams. 

Martin Shedd
The Complete works of William Shakespeare

Having read this once at the age of nine and parts of it every year since, I find that with each reading I realize something new about the characters I had never noticed before.  There's always some sort of subtext that I hadn't picked up on.  It makes for an interesting read every time.

Yoshi Tryba
Wave by Todd Strasser

For anyone who has asked themselves how Nazi Germany came about, the answer is here in this book. This concise, easy to follow, true story will keep you reading it cover to cover without putting it down. With a simple experiment this teacher gives you great insight into some of the most dangerous parts of human nature. All around a good read that will answer many questions on all political, social and religious levels.

Ayanna Vinson-Dobson

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

One of my favorite books is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, one of my favorite authors. I studied this book last year with Louise Schwingel and I absolutely loved it! The major theme of the novel concerns flight as an escape from circumstances that have a strangling effect. The epigraph reads: "The fathers may soar / And the children may know their names." I think Morrison wrote a masterpiece - a coming-of-age novel that allows the reader to really experience and be engaged in every moment that highlights Milkman's maturity.   Song of Solomon is brilliant! Toni Morrison is brilliant!

Naomi Shafer

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Without hesitation my favorite book of all times is Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World (usually it's just "Mountains beyond Mountains) by Tracy Kidder.  It is the story of one man's belief that the process of curing the world starts with healing one person.  I read Mountains Beyond Mountains this Summer while in Rwanda working with children affected by HIV/AIDS, and no matter how discouraged I became with by the amount of destitution, I could reassure myself that even though I couldn't help everyone, it meant the world to those I could.  I was inspired that Paul Farmer has had the resilience to continue working for what he believes in even though it to most it appears that the odds are completely against him.

September '06 Bookmark of the Month

featuring NEW NMH FACULTY members...

Botum Bou, English Intern
"This is a novel that is just as much about perseverance as it is about finding a passion in life to live by. It is filled with humor and I really enjoyed how the main characters' love for books spawned into something much bigger than he ever anticipated in his life." - Botum

• THY MYSTIC MASSEUR by V.S. Naipaul

Erik Cooper, History department
"My favorite history books are those that force me to reevaluate everything I know about a particular historical period or process. John Thornton's "Africa and Africans" made me do just that. In exploring Africa's involvement in the Atlantic World, this book gave me an entirely new perspective into the way Africans, Europeans and indigenous Americans interacted, traded, and lived together between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. In my opinion, it is the best book on African-American life in early America."  - Eric

• AFRICA AND AFRICANS IN THE MAKING OF THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1400-1800  by John Thornton

Kristen Donaldson, Science department
"This book resonated deeply with me.  It made clear how I as a citizen of this earth am responsible for its health.  There is so much each of us can do right here and now.  I try to lead a low impact  lifestyle but there is always more that I can do.  I was challenged yet enlightened by the issues brought up and am optimistic that change for the better will come."

• HARVEST FOR HOPE: A GUIDE TO MINDFUL EATING by Jane Goodall

Jim Burstein, College Counselor
"This book gives a healthy outlook on life. I recommend this book for all people who want to look at themselves and each other in a new perspective."

• THE WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR by Dan Millman

Khiem Doba, Math department

• THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown

 

Botum Bou, English Intern
"This is a novel that is just as much about perseverance as it is about finding a passion in life to live by. It is filled with humor and I really enjoyed how the main characters' love for books spawned into something much bigger than he ever anticipated in his life." - Botum

• THY MYSTIC MASSEUR by V.S. Naipaul

Erik Cooper, History department
"My favorite history books are those that force me to reevaluate everything I know about a particular historical period or process. John Thornton's "Africa and Africans" made me do just that. In exploring Africa's involvement in the Atlantic World, this book gave me an entirely new perspective into the way Africans, Europeans and indigenous Americans interacted, traded, and lived together between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. In my opinion, it is the best book on African-American life in early America."  - Eric

• AFRICA AND AFRICANS IN THE MAKING OF THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1400-1800  by John Thornton

Kristen Donaldson, Science department
"This book resonated deeply with me.  It made clear how I as a citizen of this earth am responsible for its health.  There is so much each of us can do right here and now.  I try to lead a low impact  lifestyle but there is always more that I can do.  I was challenged yet enlightened by the issues brought up and am optimistic that change for the better will come."

• HARVEST FOR HOPE: A GUIDE TO MINDFUL EATING by Jane Goodall

Jim Burstein, College Counselor
"This book gives a healthy outlook on life. I recommend this book for all people who want to look at themselves and each other in a new perspective."

• THE WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR by Dan Millman

Khiem Doba, Math department

• THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown

 

May '06 Bookmark of the Month

featuring FOUR-YEAR SENIORS..

Marc Cardwell
"I selected the book Gates of Fire because it inspires me to try my hardest everyday in sports, school, and life. When I think of the greatly outnumbered 300 Spartans and how they fought to the last, I see that there is no reason why I should not do my best in anything I do. I also think there are very important lessons on honor, loyalty, friendship, courage, commitment, and love in the book's pages." 

• Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel About the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield

Amanda Kusek
"I look up to Vonnegut for his thoughtful plot line and beautiful words. I hope to one day achieve what Vonnegut has in this book, when I am writing my own."

• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Alex Mercado
"Black Ice is Lorene Cary's memoir of her experience at St. Paul's just a couple of years after the school goes co-ed. Despite the challenges Cary must overcome, the story is ultimately very uplifting as she returns to St. Paul's a trustee a decade later. Black Ice touches on race and class issues but it certainly surprises the reader as the writing is executed to portray triumph not bitterness."

• Black Ice by Lorene Cary

Taylor Russell
"This book left me feeling like a smarter, better informed global citizen, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in learning about the issues that face the African American community today."

• Race Matters by Cornel West

Lindsey Warren-Shriner

• I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson

April Bookmark of the Month

John Rees
NMH Science teacher

I like to read history, both fiction and non fiction as well as a good mystery.  The books I've chosen are mostly history, they are very well  written and  quite fascinating. An Instance of the Fingerpost is, as the Globe says, "A rollicking murder mystery that happens to enlist such colorful real life characters as philosopher John Locke, physician  Richard Lower and historian Anthony Wood. " The Patrick O'Brian series is great adventure as well as  well as an incredibly authentic portrayal of life in the early 19th century. Martin Beck is one of my all time favorite characters. The film The Laughing Policeman, was based on one of these novels. The last two books are prize winning non fiction, and both are long but great reads.

An Instance of the Fingerpost  By Iain Pears

An Instance of the Fingerpost is a well written historic mystery; set at Oxford University in the late 1600's, it is the story of  the murder of a university Don as told by four different people in succession,  each of whom is involved in the mystery. The final story, written by an historian explains the entire story and everyone's true involvement in the crime.

Biography of Lyndon Johnson By Robert A. Caro

Award winning biography of Lyndon Johnson and a history of much of twentieth century American politics.

The Martin Beck mystery novels By Maj Sjowell and Per Wahloo

A ten volume series based on the character Martin Beck, a Marxist homicide detective from Stockholm. Beautifully written, procedural mysteries.

Master and Commander ( the entire series) By Patrick O'Brian

Historic fiction about the British navy during and after the Napoleonic Wars. Features the adventures of Jack Aubrey, ship  captain, and Stephen Maturin, doctor, spy and naturalist.

Parting the Waters By Taylor Branch

History of the United States during the King years, 1954 - 1963. This story of the civil rights movement won a Pulitzer Prize.

March Bookmark of the Month

Featuring the NMH CIRCLE OF SISTERS members...

Amani Kancey

• The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream By Sampson Davis,George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt

Amani writes: The Pact demonstrates the power to overcome despite adversity. Their story is inspring because they made a promise and in the end throughtout thick and thin, they all kept it and fufilled their dream.

Bianca Surita

• Memnoch the Devil By Anne Rice

Bianca writes: I enjoyed reading Memnock the Devil because I enjoy just a good story. Anne Rice told an excellent story. I almost felt what the characters in the book where feeling and saw what they saw. Overall a great book.

Khrystin Bryant

• The Autobiography of Malcolm X By Malcom X, with Alex Haley

Khrystin writes: The Autobiography of Malcolm X is one of the most eye opening books I have ever read. It has given me ideas of ways I can live my life for the benefit of myself and others around me. That is the power of reading.

Blisse Wilkinson 

• Child of God By Lolita Files.

Ayana Christie

• Tears for Water By Alicia Keys

February Bookmark of the Month

Tiffany Hilton
Blue Diary
by Alice Hoffman

Tiffany:  "I’ve enjoyed several books by Alice Hoffman – but Blue Diary is by far my favorite.  In a small Massachusetts town, Jorie’s husband Ethan is arrested on suspicion for the rape and murder of a teenage girl 15 years earlier.  He confesses to the crime but claims he is a changed man.  Jorie and their son are left to decide for themselves if love can lead to forgiveness."

Pam Allan
Zorba the Greek
by Nikos Kazantzakis

Pam:  "I read Zorba when I was a high school student and it opened a new world to me -- a culture of ideas, music, dance, traditions, and passion. Later in life, I traveled to Greece and was pleased to make the acquaintance of a friend of Kazantzakis as I immersed myself, for a short time, in village island life. I like to think I carry a little Zorba within myself, a willing participant in 'the full catastrophe.' "

Patricia O'Brien
At Swim, Two Boys
by Jamie O'Neill

Patricia: "At Swim, Two Boys is the coming-of-age stories of the nation of Ireland and two gay teenagers during the time of the Irish Easter Rising (1916.)   It wasn't an "easy read."  I found the language to be difficult, especially in the first chapter.  I'm glad I knew something about Irish history.  I loved this book because it has all the great elemnts of a good story: love, bravery, loyalty, and humor."

Susan Weaver
The dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys and Me
by Jon Katz 

Susan: "It was one of those books that made me laugh out loud, cry and want to snuggle with my dog and bond with my sheep. Jon Katz is a fabulous storyteller! It's a gem of a book!!!!"

Tim Hilton
Confederacy of Dunces
by John Toole

Tim: "I like a book where the protagonist is the most unlikable person in the story; this fits the bill...picture Luke Skywalker with Darth Vader's social skills."

Alison Ernst
Of Woman Born : Motherhood as Experience and Institution
by Adrienne Rich

Alison: "This was a life changing book I read  in college.  It significantly altered my view of the world and growing up female.  It prompted me to explore the terms "misogyny" and "patriarchy",  and gave me language to address some of the challenges I experienced in both family and society."

 

January Bookmark of the Month

Ensend Willemse '07

Ensend writes:

Whether I read for entertainment, education, recreation, or read to the five and six year olds back home, reading has always been an essential part of my life. I learned at a young age that it is critical to able to read and write and that reading helps improve your writing, therefore I read.

What I most like in reading, is the fact that you can learn so much, whether about yourself or another person. There is really no difference.

One of my favorite readings, The Color of Water by James McBride, emphasizes the life of a Jewish mother raising her herd of black children. This magnificent memoir teaches us the very struggle of life and the difficulty of growing up in a society that is against your every purpose of surviving. In the question of why she is white and her kids black, she raises them to believe that “God is the color of water,” for she is convinced that the values of life transcend race. Aside from all the suffering, violence, drugs, sexual abuse, race, and time, James McBride surpasses all of it and succeeds in writing a superb novel in memory of his mother.

For me, as a student, one of the biggest lessons I got out of this novel, is that no matter what the odds, one always has the potential to rise above it all. The lesson I took to heart from reading the novel was that, we should not blame the circumstances we were born into, rather prevail, accept it, and try to secure ourselves a better future.

Here is a list of books that I loved reading and would read again any time...

The Color of Water: a Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother by James McBride.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Pact by Jodi Picoult

December Bookmark of the Month

Presenting NMH's a cappella singing group

SWEET VIBRATIONS 

Lakota Coon &  Anna Stevens 
The Giver By Lois Lowry

The Giver has a very intersting, twisted plot, but is very simple. I read it when I was younger, and again recently, and enjoyed as much as I did the first time. - Lakota

Meg Dolben
Anne of Green Gables By L.M. Montgomery

I liked Anne of Green Gables because she reminds me of myself... Sometimes i get so caught up in daydreaming or just spacing out that i forget what I'm doing and make a mistake. Also it's a wonderful book that a lot of people both young and old can relate to. - Meg

Eleanor Martin 
The Redwall Series By Brian Jacques

I really like the idea of talking animals. Brian Jacques gave the animals a human-like quality. Each story was really interesting and different from most of the other fictional stories that I have read. - Eleanor

Sara Tower
Alanna: The First Adventure. by Tamora Pierce

I love this book because of its humor, its premise, and most of all, its message: Girls can kick butt!  Tamora Pierce's writing is phenomenal and her characters are complex and unforgettable.  It's a wonderful read. - Sara

November Bookmark of the Month

Charles P. Raffetto
NMH Technical Director/Designer

Charles writes:

GREAT EXPECTATIONS is my favorite book, because not only do I understand the journey that Pip is on, but Dicken's language still transports me to the blacksmith's shop and through the dirty streets of London.  Alan Moore's V FOR VENDETTA is an extremely important graphic novel depicting one person's fight against a country in which the government has removed all the citizens' personal freedoms in order to preserve the 'freedom and happiness' of its people. This is a vital issue past, present, and future, and his vision bring the message home in a powerful way.  Douglas Adam's book THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY will not only always make me laugh out loud, but as soon as I finish it I start it all over again. Simply put it is infinitely re-readable. OTHELLO, for me, is Shakespeare's most intriguing work, dealing with jealousy, racism, power, deception, and an almost devil-like villain in the form of Iago.  Anne Rice, in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT has found a voice for her narrating character that is simultaneously arrogant, sarcastic, naive, loving, soft, angry, murderous, and curious, not to mention one who never sees the light of day.  These are all special books, for they transport me to places and into events that connect with me on a very personal level, and that is what a good book should do.

Click on the links above to check the NMH Library availability.
 

October Bookmark of the Month

...  Featuring Cum Laude Students

Allison Beattie   Beloved by Toni Morrison

Allison writes:

My favorite book is Beloved, by Toni Morrison, because it is so strategically written and full of beautiful and haunting metaphors. The characters will stick with me forever, and although I cannot pinpoint the specific ways in which this book has changed my life, I believe it has.

Greg Yun  - The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Greg writes:

Someone challenged me to read it when my appreciation of English Language had not hatched.  In summer before my junior year I was astonished at how much the book had improved its clarity and vigor in two years. And I plan to read it again soon.

Evan Hefner   Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card

Danielle Kratter -  School is Hell:  A Cartoon Book By Matt Groening

Kevin Pai - The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal by Jared M. Diamond

Kevin writes:

It was just pure amazement when I read it. There were so many, so many interesting and astonishing reasoning on human evolution. If you want to know why you choose your boyfriend/girlfriend, if you want to know why sex, if you want to know why human beings become the dominant species on earth, you will find all of them in there with some extra surprises too. ........................................................................................

Click on the title links above to check Library location and availability.

September Bookmark of the Month

Featuring World Languages Department Chair, SVETLANA KERIMOV
                                 

Svetlana writes:

It's not easy to choose five - I mean only five - favorite books for we all have so many books that we like. I decided to pick five of them that became my personal friends over the years because i read them more than once and because I'm quite sure that we'll meet again in the future.

Svetlana's Five Favorite Reads:

   . PROMISE AT DAWN by Romain Gary
   . WAR AND PEACE  by Leo Tolstoy
   . THEOPHILUS NORTH by Thornton Wilder
   . ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
   . MEMENTO MORI by Muriel Spark

Click on the links above to check on the Library's availability of these titles.

Stop in the Library to pick up your commemorative and collectible bookmark.

May Bookmark of the Month

featuring FOUR-YEAR SENIORS!

Sean Kennedy
     Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J. K. Rowling
      Sean says: "It's an easy and fun read"

Michael Schlegelmilch
     The Dead, by James Joyce
     Mike says: "The end contains some of the most haunting and beautiful prose ever written. Also, I just can't get enough of the turn-of-the-century Irish slang."

Amanda Santos
     The Cider House Rules, by John Irving
      Amanda says: "CIDER HOUSE RULES presented many controvesial topics in an incredibly realistic way;such topics I'd never even condisered that are now pressing issues in my mind."

Eliza Spata-Burk
    The Four Seasons of Brambly Hedge, by Jill Barklem
  Eliza says: "As a child my parents would lie in bed with me and read aloud the stories of Brambly Hedge and the memories of those times together have made this story one of my favorites."

Cameron Mackenzie
     The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, M.D.
     Cameron says: "THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED enabled me to discover and understand myself."

April Bookmark of the Month

... Featuring Marvelous Media Faculty, 
JOSHUA FARBER and KACKIE ST.CLAIR

JOSHUA writes: I read a book every day of my life, and have done so since high school.   Picking favorites seemed an impossible task, so I decided to pick those which I find myself coming back to, over and over again -- one fiction, one non-fiction, and one poetry.   

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, by Jonathan Lethem, for example, is perhaps the best new book I've read in a year.  I find the plot unique, the characters especially rich and familiar, and the narrative thoroughly enjoyable.

100 LOVE SONNETS (Cien Sonetos de Amor), by Pablo Neruda. I find myself constantly coming back to Neruda's love sonnets.  Their earth-toned language resonates, and the sheer diversity of ways Neruda farmes his sometimes calm, sometimes electric love for his wife over the ages within this single 14 line form boggles the mind.   

AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, by Neil Postman. As for Postman -- this is simply the best explanation of "how we got here," culturally speaking, to be found.   Better, this accessible exploration of the inevitability of media and message sets a foundation for understanding the emergent challenges of the modern digital age 2 decades before its arrival.

KACKIE writes:

NIXON AT THE MOVIES: A Book about Belief  Mark Feeney presents  a fascinating study of Nixon's relation to the movies. I know how deeply the films of Kurosawa and Scorsese have effected me. Nixon was, after all, a major mover in my personal/political life so how could I not want to know what movies had done to - or for - him?This is a fascinating study of Nixon's relation to the movies. I know how deeply the films of Kurosawa and Scorsese have effected me. Nixon was, after all, a major mover in my personal/political life so how could I not want to know what movies had done to - or for - him?

OCTOBER LIGHT John Gardner writes with a classical and epic understanding of the world. This book describes an elderly brother and sister living together not exactly out of choice. He shoots her TV set with a twelve gauge shot-gun. Their conflict is as stark, humorous, brittle and lovely as the Vermont landscape of the novel. I read this just before packing up and moving back to New England.

PRAYING FOR SHEETROCK Melissa Fay Greene describes a Georgia coastal county and its black and white residents. The Civil Rights movement as happening to the west of them but arrived about a decade later. This book, coupled with Howell Raines' collection of personal reflections in My Soul Is Rested, gives a deeper view of the south in that tumultuous time.

March Bookmark of the Month

Stop by the Library and pick up your March Bookmark of the Month, featuring...
English teacher, Jerry Reneau

Mr. Reneau writes:
One is tempted through such listings to make a statement about taste or about educational philosophy. I am choosing instead simply to itemize books that I read on my own and that made exceptional claims on me, as I was growing up. I made in these books, as Edmund Wilson puts it, shocks of recognition.

When I first read Wuthering Heights (EMILY BRONTË), the atmosphere at Heathcliff’s place seemed almost like my own  “home sweet home.”

I got hooked on D. H. LAWRENCE through reading Women in Love first, and eventually read all of his works. The opening chapters of Sons and Lovers also
strongly reminded me of my childhood home life.

I read ROBERT FROST’S North of Boston late one night at college, in one sitting, often in a state of goose bumps at the thought that the region where I grew up could be made into such vivid literature.

The Calamus series of poems by WALT WHITMAN spoke very powerfully to the personal, erotic me.

While at Cambridge University, I read TOLSTOY’S Anna Karenina non-stop, in a wintry day or two, and consider to this day that it’s the greatest English novel in Russian.