177 books later

At the beginning of the year I set myself the goal of reading a book a day from my library's collection. Sometimes the works are fiction, sometimes they are nonfiction. I have read graphic novels, romantic fairy tales, action and adventures, and mysteries galore. Sometimes the books were long. At other times, they were in the 32 to 48 pages range. Sometimes I listened to them, but most time I read them.

A rough estimate suggests that I read over 30,000 pages this year, which is pretty good. Next year I plan on tallying the actual number of pages so that I have a better idea of how many pages I actually read.

I said goodbye to many old friends this year. I completed the Lunar Chronicles series this year, and must bid farewell to Cinder and her acolytes. I hope everything works well for the Lunar and Emperor Kai. After 12 books, Zom-B wrapped up in a pretty apocalyptic view of the world, and I'm sorry to see B go. Hopefully more adventures will befall my favorite revived individual. Sophronia's adventures in the Finishing School series also concluded with a bittersweet ending. And so did Thomas' cruel Flare world of the Maze Runner series, but at least he did find a peaceful world in the end. Or did he? Seraphina and her dragon kin will also be missed. The adventures of Will and Lydia also concluded His Dark Material series. Miss Peregrine's children were okay in the end and the Wights were defeated, but their strangeness and amazing powers remain. Michael and his friends managed to stop Kane from becoming human in The Mortality Doctrine series.

Among single books, highlights this year included Rebecca, which I am sorry not to have read earlier in my life. It was slow going at first, but then it go so good that I wasn't ready for it to end. What a fascinating history that took place in Halifax during the Blizzard of Glass. What happened to Cass McBride was one of the creepiest book I've read in a while. The Evil Librarian was entertaining.

I could go on, but it's time to conclude this school year. One hundred and seventy seven books later, I get to read books for myself this summer :)!

Games of Ancient Rome

Nardo, Don. Games of Ancient Rome. Part of The Way People Live series. 2000. 96p. ISBN 1-56006-655-5. Available at 790 HAR on the library shelves.

Known for their bloodthirsty gladiator combats, the games that entertained the ancient Romans actually evolved over centuries, and the practices that we recognize now as brutal and inhuman spanned only four hundred years of Roman history.

From chariot races to the aforementioned gladiator combats, from animal shows to naval battles, wealthy Roman citizens, and later on Emperors, realized that an entertained population is a calm population. Magnificent buildings were erected to celebrate Rome and its Emperors. The Circus Maximus, the largest chariot track in the ancient world, could sit up to a quarter of a million people. Large crowds sat in relative comfort in the Colosseum watching people die for their entertainment.

This book deftly explains how Romans, who were austere and traditionalists in most ways, could be so enamored with violent and dangerous spectacles. Fans of Rome will enjoy this brief story of a time most of us would rather not live in. More information about Rome can also be found in Classical Civilization: Rome.

Fullmetal Alchemist. Vol 8

Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist. Vol 8. 2003. 188p. ISBN 978-1-4215-0459-9. Available in the graphic section of the library.

Government troops led by Fuhrer President King Bradley continue their assault on the Devil’s Nest against Greed and his mutant force. Captured, Greed is reunited with his siblings Gluttony, Lust, and Envy, while Bradley reveals himself to be Wrath. Greed refuses to rejoin his family’s sinister plot.

Meanwhile, two strange travelers from across the great desert arrive in Amestris. Mei is rescued by miners, while Ling arrives with his retinue. Both of them hope to acquire the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone, and the Elric brothers are the key ...

Pox, Pus and Plague

Townsend, John. Pox, Pus and Plague: A history of Disease and Infection. Part of the Painful History of Medicine series. 2006. 56p. ISBN 1-4109-1333-3. Available at 616 TOW on the library shelves.

The human body is constantly under attack from bacteria and viruses. Even though thousands of different bacteria thrive in the environment, a few of them are very harmful to us and have the power to kill us. This short book discusses the history of our interactions with these invisible forces and the mysteries they presented until their “discovery” thanks to microscopes.

From ancient times to the Ebola epidemic of 2015, this invisible enemy has threatened us with disease and death. Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans thought that blood letting would help sick people. There were four types of humors, and when they were not in balance it was thought the cause of the sickness. As the Middle Ages plodded along the Black Death, transmitted by fleas, killed off more than a third of Europe’s population. Eventually, a scientist discovered that bacteria thrived in unsanitary water, and measures were taken to solve this problem. More discoveries led to the creation of vaccines such as penicillin, and humankind began fighting back against harmful bacteria.

Some work remains, however, for even now these types of diseases kill millions of people every year. With cancer in the crosshair, there is hope that further discoveries will improve the lives of many people.

IF this topic is of interest, be sure to read Life During the Black Death.

Dumplin’: Go Big or Go Home

Murphy, Julie. Dumplin’: Go Big or Go Home. 2015. 371p. ISBN 978-0-06-232718-5. Available at FIC MUR on the library shelves.

Willowdean Dickson is fat. She knows it, the world knows it, and, by in large, she’s okay with it. A die-hard fan of Dolly Parton, she’s always been big, and it runs in her family. Her mother was fat until she self-consciously worked to lose the weight, while her aunt never was able to. In their little town of Clover, Texas, there’s not much to do. The highway doesn’t go through here, and there aren’t any local attractions that would draw in tourists. So the town is pretty much left to its locals.

Dumplin’, as her mother calls her, meets Bo at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint where she works. She knows that as the fat chick she’s unlikely to score a date, but they soon begin to fall for each other. Bo wants to keep it a secret, however, so Willowdean doesn’t tell her best friend Ellen about the new guy in her life. Will also begins questioning herself. She’s always been comfortable in her body, but now that someone else is touching her, she’s worried about her size and how her body feels.

Speaking of Ellen, the two of them have begun drifting away from each other, and Will doesn’t know how to prevent it. To regain her confidence she decides to participate in the Miss Clover City, the local teen pageant organized by her mother, a former winner herself who can still fit in her pageant dress. With her eccentric friends, Will must conquer this newfound fear of her body, and at the same time figure out what kind of relationship she deserves from Bo.

A companion volume, Puddin' is available and tells what happens after the beauty pageant.

Recycling

Hall, Eleanor J. Recycling. 2005. 48p. ISBN 0-7377-1517-0. Available at 363.72 HAL on the library shelves.

Recycling has become a mainstream industry in the United States with all sorts of things being recycled, from paper, plastics and metals to electronic devices, cars, and even old building materials. But many people are not familiar with the actual process and benefits of recycling. This short book aims to provide general information on the subject.

In four chapters, the topic of recycling is explored, from what it is to the challenges that it faces. Reasons to recycle are discussed, as well as what the future of recycling is likely to be. Changes to our environment can indeed be local, and anyone can take steps to help reducing consumption, reusing materials whenever possible, and recycling as much as possible.

The Wind At Work

Iwinski, Melissa. The Wind At Work. 2008. 36p. ISBN 978-0-531-17586-6. Available at 621.4 IWI on the library shelves.

Caused by the displacement of air from cold to warm areas, wind can be a positive or negative force. On the positive side, wind can be harnessed to produce electrical power that then provides energy for million of houses. It helps spread seeds. It was used in the past to mill grain. But wind can also be destructive. Tornadoes and hurricanes feature strong winds blowing, which can destroy entire neighborhoods and even kill people.

This short book explains the science behind one of the most common environmental phenomena and describes the impact wind has had on the world around us, from erosion to destruction to energy creation. Produced with interesting pictures and engaging text, this book is sure to appeal to budding scientists.