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November 10, 2006 Vol. 77, no. 13F Books for the break
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Kafka on the Shore
By
Haruki Murakami
A Japanese coming-of-age story with infusions of magical realism
and Greek tragedy. “Wonderful language and stories within,” writes
Kresge librarian Jean McKenzie. “Explores personal and societal
identities.”
Me Talk Pretty One Day
By David Sedaris
A collection of stories about the author’s youth, family, life
experiences and travels to France. “It’s hysterically
funny,” writes NE student affairs officer Lisa Zemelman.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
By Audrey Niffenegger
A novel about a time-traveling librarian who visits his wife at
various times in her life, told from both perspectives. “A complex,
entertaining and touching love story,” writes Kresge librarian
Brian Quigley.
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American Prometheus
by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
A biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic
bomb. “An
excellent telling of Oppen-heimer’s life, placing it in the
intense academic and political environment in which he lived,” says
McKenzie.
The Search
By John Battelle
A business history of Google, the evolution of search technology
and the potential impact of search in the future. “A fascinating
account,” says Quigley. “Easy-to-read, informative
and insightful.”
Empire of the Air
By Tom Lewis
The creation of the FM radio. “It’s a fascinating read,” writes
ME professor Al Pisano. “It addresses the people as well
as the technology and shows how various people, motivated by various
factors, all manage to work on a similar technology, frequently
in
competition with one another.”
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The Art of Happiness
By Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler
A handbook for living. “It addresses that side of all engineers,
which our education system, our predispositions and our day-to-day
lives tend to make us forget about,” says Pisano.
Envisioning Information
By Edward Tufte
An analysis on how complex material is explicated by visual means,
with interesting examples to illustrate the fundamental principles
of information displays. “Edward Tufte has been called the
Leonardo da Vinci of data,” Zemelman says. “His books
are beautiful. His advice on presenting data is enlightening. His
critique of PowerPoint should be read by all academics.”
For additional information on these books, visit amazon.com.
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