Fun summer reading--just for you

The semester has ended, but the library is still adding new books to the collection. Rather than list all of the academic books you won't be needing for at least the next ten days, let's take a look at the less-than-academic things you might want to read.

We have humorous nonfiction like David Sedaris's book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames.

If you prefer some intrigue, try Takeover--there's a forensic scientist, a bank robbery, and hostage negotiations! What more do you need for a thrilling read? Maybe a book with Soviet State Security Force agents out to get one of their own--a man who claims a murderer is in their ranks: Child 44.

Q: What is a "stranger room?"
A: A room set aside in homes built in the 1800s that would allow "unsavory guests" to stay without giving them access the rest of the house.

What does this have to do with fun new library books? Our new book, Stranger Room, features just such a room in a house in Virginia...with a twist: a murder was committed in the stranger room, and then, more than 100 years later, another murder is committed in the same room! Why? How? Read the book to find out.

Not everyone considers reading murder mysteries fun, so for those of you who might prefer books with some history, we have The Good Thief, set in the mid-1700s in New England.

If 18th century stories are a bit too old for you, how about one set in the 1950s? The Piano Teacher is set in Hong Kong in the 1950s, and follows the story of a piano teacher who finds herself involved in an affair.

And, moving even closer to the present day, we've got Under the Lemon Trees, a novel set in California in the 1970s. The main character is a teenage girl struggling to find where she fits into the world.

And then we have those readers who prefer romance in their novels. Try Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel.

Maybe fiction isn't appealing to you; how about The Calculus Wars: Newton, Leibniz, and the Greatest Mathematical Clash of all Time? Or, if you're a fan of digging in the dirt, how about The Essential Garden Design Workbook?

And last, but certainly not least, is my favorite title from this list: Snoop: What Your Stuff Says about You.

Of course there are more books where these came from, so check out the full New Books List to see them all. (If you're interested in fun summer reading, select "Popular"--or "Social Sciences & Education/Current Events"--from the drop-down box.)

So come on in and check out a few books--we've got a lot to offer you whether you're studying this summer or taking time off from classes. See you soon!