The third and final part of our series of Library staff recommendations from the Forum Library Lounge.

The Cosmic Verses: A Rhyming History of the Universe by James Muirden

Chosen by Janet Sandy, Information Assistant

Its dust cover says “This is the story of five millennia of  ‘head-scratching’ – of how humans have tried to make sense of the cosmos.  …. James Muirden’s wonderful new poem cleverly and humorously examines the quest for understanding of our universe. … The Cosmic Verses encapsulates and illuminates five thousand years of the greatest thoughts and thinkers…in brilliantly constructed couplets, cheerfully and copiously illustrated with David Eccles’s delightful line drawings.  … Wonderfully funny and extremely clever, The Cosmic Verses: A Rhyming History of the Universe instructs and clarifies even as it amuses.”

This book is great fun and extremely informative, being written in an historical time line from before 700 BC to after 1900.  I have giggled out loud while reading it, am enjoying it tremendously and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys poetry and enjoys learning.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 821.089 MUI

 

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Chosen by Viki Jones, Shelving Assistant

A young boy called Daniel is taken to a secret library called the ‘Cemetery of Forgotten Books’ by his father and is allowed to take one book which he must protect. Daniel picks a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. He enjoys the book so much he looks for further books by the same author only to discover that a strange man calling himself Laín Coubert (after a character in The Shadow of the Wind who happens to be the devil) has been seeking out Carax’s books for years, buying them all and burning them. Intrigued, Daniel must find out why….

Full of mystery, intrigue and with a doomed love story this is a great book by a Spanish writer (translated into English by Lucia Graves). The plot has a story within a story and I was drawn not only into Daniel’s life but Julián Carax’s. I also love the idea of a secret location hiding and safe guarding forgotten books. Do we have one hidden in the basement of the Forum Library?

Find it in the Library Lounge at  868.6/RUI-10 

 

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Chosen by Kerry Pankhurst, Collections Manager

This is a gripping debut novel about obsession, domestic abuse and the psychological impact of both. It is not a comfortable read and I found it really quite chilling, but unputdownable. The narrative jumps between two timelines which is incredibly effective at building the tension. It definitely made me double check if my front door was locked at night!

Find it in the Library Lounge at 823.92 HAY

 

 

Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl

Chosen by Imogen Ward-Smith, Information Assistant

These stories are macabre, dark, twisted and wonderful; Roald Dahl’s unique imagination in an adult outlet. The book contains eleven varied tales with a common thread of the sly and slightly sinister side of human nature. Think horror, revenge, lies, cheating, murder, and theft. If any of the above appeal to you, then give this book a go! Not necessarily recommended for bedtime reading, at least I couldn’t (I don’t like scary movies or roller coasters and these tales definitely count as nightmare-fodder) but they gave me a delightful satisfying shiver that wasn’t at all unpleasant.

The bit that most stuck with me….

[SPOILER!]

…. There is a brain kept alive in a bowl!!

Find it in the Library Lounge at 828.9/DAH-4 

 

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Chosen by Roxanne Crabb, Forum Library Supervisor

This is a challenging book both in terms of its pacing (after a slow start it gets more and more gripping as it goes on) and the mighty ethical questions with which it grapples, but it’s well worth a read. Dr Annick Swenson is a field researcher working in the Brazilian rainforest, studying a tribe whose women continue to bear  children long into old age. She is being funded by a pharmaceutical company to produce a miracle fertility drug, but progress is slow and Dr Swenson is becoming increasingly elusive. When her colleague, Anders – sent to the jungle to report on the project’s progress – is reported dead in rather ambiguous circumstances, the scene is set for Patchett’s heroine, Dr Marina Singh, to make the trip herself.

This is a great pick for the armchair explorer: Patchett evokes the beauty, danger, and above all the strangeness of the Amazon in a way that is truly mesmerising. Twists abound too, some of which I had anticipated and a few of which left me breathless. State of Wonder is a walk on the wild side, both in the way it takes you into the steamy heart of the rainforest and in the way that it is not afraid to needle, albeit gently, at some of the big moral problems in Western society.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 813.6 PAT

 

If you missed the earlier posts in this series check out Part 1 and Part 2.

As you’ll see, the Library Lounge offers a wide variety of recreational reading material. We hope something from our selections will appeal to you. If you’ve read any of the books Library staff have chosen this week why not let us know if you agreed or disagreed with our verdicts? You can Tweet us or leave us a comment on Facebook.

 

Have we inspired you to borrow a book from the Forum Library Lounge yet? Here’s the second part of our series of staff recommendations for books we enjoyed from this diverse and growing recreational reading collection. Perhaps one of these titles will tickle your fancy…

 

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

Chosen by Rachel Dawson, Shelving Supervisor

This book was so well written that I ‘had’ to locate the sequel (Tandia) from the public library, and work out if this book was in any way autobiographical, as it was written with such warmth and depth that I was sure it couldn’t be ‘just another novel’. It turns out that the author was born in South Africa, so this is why he is able to write with such understanding of the culture and superstitions of the people there.  A bit like The Kite Runner this book has some disturbing scenes, but they are appropriate and character driven.  Whilst the Kite Runner was made into a film of the same name, The Power of One was made into a film in 2009 and was also used as a basis for ‘Rocky’ – the main character ‘Peekay’ becomes a boxer.  There are plenty of messages the reader can pull out of this book – things like adversity making you stronger, but readers can also pick up some knowledge of South Africa as a country and its history.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 828.9 /COU

 

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

Chosen by Viki Jones, Shelving Assistant

This is the debut novel from Rosamund Lupton. The story revolves around Bee an English woman living and working in New York, whose sister Tess is missing in London. Bee gets the first flight back to the UK to help in the search.

I found this a compelling read as Bee tries to find out what has happened to her sister. There is an amazing twist that I didn’t see coming! You will have to read the book to find out what it is!

Find it in the Library Lounge at 823.92 LUP

 

 

Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Chosen by Anne Dinan, Subject Librarian for Education, Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology

‘Good King Richard’ or an evil usurper? Maligned king or tyrannical monster of Shakespeare’s play?  “Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority” ( Francis Bacon).  An interesting view is provided in this book, written more than 50 years ago, but published here as a reprint. This novel sheds new light on the mystery of the Princes in the tower and on the role of Richard III – particularly topical given the recent discovery of the skeleton in the Leicester car park having been identified beyond reasonable doubt as that of the last of the Plantagenet kings. The novel is written as a detective story, where the clues are discovered and debated, and a conclusion finally reached.  It is written with humour, and is very thought provoking.  I read it years ago and have just re-read it after the recent news story.  I recommend it; it will certainly ask you to re-think your view of history – not just about Richard III.

 Find it in the Library Lounge at 828.9/TEY

 

I’m not scared by Niccolo Ammaniti

Chosen by Hilary Norris, Information Assistant

An Italian thriller (translated into English by Jonathan Hunt) told through the eyes of a young boy. During a hot summer nine year old Michele stumbles across a secret hidden in a dilapidated farmhouse. What he finds will threaten to destroy his community, his family and his life. I recommend this novel because it is a story that kept me gripped all the way through.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 858.9 /AMM-2

 

 

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Chosen by Imogen Ward-Smith, Information Assistant

Lee Fiora is a girl from small town Indiana who takes up a place at an exclusive finishing school in New England; this story recounts her experience. Curtis Sittenfeld, writing as Lee, describes so accurately how it really feels to be a young adult navigating the social quagmire that is college/university life.

There are elements of how I felt about life and relationships during my years at school and university that I hadn’t even recognised until seeing them mirrored in the main character. Anybody who has ever been socially awkward, felt like an outsider, or simply been through the experience of trying to fit in needs to read this book, whether you are in that place now or if you left it behind many years ago, in which case it will take you back! Prep had me at different times chuckling, cringing and exclaiming “ that’s me! I felt like that!” I’ve read this book twice and I’d read it again. It’s an ‘easy’ read in that it doesn’t require a huge amount of concentration or effort, it’s the perfect distraction and escape.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 818.6 /SITT

 

Part 1 of our Library Lounge Recommendations can be found here.

The final part in this series will be published on Friday!

Did you know that as well as supporting research we also have a lending collection geared towards leisure and recreational reading? This is located in the Forum Library Lounge area, just at the entrance to the Library on level 0. The Library Lounge provides a more relaxed learning space with comfortable sofas and vending machines, so it’s a great place to take a break or to meet your course mates for informal study.

The Library Lounge Lending Collection contains a growing array of books you can borrow. Content is selected by the Library team with the aim of covering a broad selection of interests and abilities including graded readers to help international students improve their language skills, genre-fiction bestsellers, and some of the novels shortlisted for literary awards like the Booker or Orange prizes.

So please feel free to borrow books from this collection – they can be issued in the normal way using self-issue machines. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry! Over the coming week Library staff will be sharing our top picks and recommendations from the Library Lounge collection on this blog – perhaps we will inspire you!

Shogun by James Clavell   

Chosen by Jim Green, Digital Library & Marketing Assistant

Set around the clash of civilisations as Europeans with their guns encounter Feudal Japan at its Bushido-wielding might. Clavell’s impeccable research and descriptive reading make this classic historical novel come to life. Revealed a lot about life, love and death in Japan at the time in the context of rival warlords determined to seek out any advantage they can in their quests to become Shogun. A great adventure with strong central characters and scene-setting on an epic scale.

Find it in the Library Lounge at classmark:  828.9/CLAV

 

 Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Chosen by Hilary Norris, Information Assistant

A comic fantasy novel about Armageddon as predicted by the “Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes   Nutter. Witch”.   A funny and philosophical novel with a wide range of characters including angels, demons, Witchfinders, a scatterbrained satanic nun, the four horsemen of the apocalypse and Adam (the antichrist). I would recommend this novel because it makes me laugh every time I read it. If you enjoy this book you may like to try Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman or the Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. These books are also in the Library lounge collection.

Find it in the Library Lounge at classmark: 828.9 /PRA

 

 

Manja: a novel about five children by Anna Gmeyner

Chosen by Caroline Gale, Library Liaison Manager

Set between the world wars in Germany, this tells the story of 5 children, from conception to early teens, focusing on their friendship and how this is ultimately changed forever by the differing political beliefs of their parents.

Anna Gmeyner was an Austrian exile, writing in London in 1938, so this story feels very authentic in its coverage of the rise of Nazism in Germany. The innocent friendships of the children make wonderful reading: it’s a satisfying book with a powerful message.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 828.9 /GME

 

 The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

Chosen by Roxanne Crabb, Forum Library Supervisor

In this magical adventure novel people fall into three categories: the living, the long dead, and the people who are dead but still have living friends, families and former colleagues to keep their memory alive.  The City of the Dead is neither Heaven nor Hell, but it’s a place where souls can ‘live on’ at least until the last person to have known them passes over. The novel’s chapters alternate between the story of Laura Byrd struggling to survive in Antarctica and character-studies of those City inhabitants who once knew her. This book isn’t perfect but I could overlook the plot-holes because the polar survival parts (which riff on Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s real life classic, The Worst Journey in the World) are quite exciting and, above all, because the City of the Dead chapters are always tender, sometimes funny, and raise so many interesting questions about memory and the connections and experiences that make us who we are. Worth a read.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 818.6 BROC

 

Pure by Andrew Miller

Chosen by Imogen Ward-Smith, Information Assistant

Set in 18^th Century Paris, the story describes a young engineer’s task of destroying a crumbling church and relocating its thousand years worth of buried human remains. The cemetery is full to overflowing and the decaying of corpses buried there taints the Paris air for streets around. The bones are buried in pits in the graveyard, layers upon layers deep and the excavation work must be done by a team of men, by hand.

It’s possibly a slightly distasteful subject – the description was so vivid I could taste the decay in the air – but told in such a beautiful and real way that I was gripped and could not put it down. This was a book that I kept sloping off to my armchair to “just read a bit more” then coming round three hours later having done nothing but read, but not minding one bit because it was worth it.

Find it in the Library Lounge at 823.92 MIL

 

Watch out for Parts 2 and 3 of our Library Lounge Top Picks coming later in the week…..