Carrie Merritt
The backyard of Carrie’s apartment building has giant grasshoppers in it that are large enough to attack small birds. She likes them, as long as they aren’t jumping on her of course, but she does miss Yosemite and the hissing beetles that live there. Her degree in English has landed her a home in the book industry for the past several years, and she sometimes pretends that the bookshelves are in fact giant trees that she gets to walk through every day.
Native Son
by Richard Wright
Native Son is an eye opening account of an impoverished young African American living in downtown Chicago during the 1930s. Bigger Thomas is caught in a downward spiral after making a mistake in a brief moment of panic and his life will never be the same. Wright illustrates the feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across America.
Travels of Thelonius: The Fog Mound
by Susan Schade and Jon Buller
Who doesn’t want to know about a porcupine who lives in a bookstore and rides a Vespa? Ok, so maybe you don’t, but I bet you know someone who does. This graphic novel is set thousands of years after humans disappear from the earth and the main character is an adventurous chipmunk. If you’ve ever wondered which species of animal would rise to the top of the intellectual ladder should humankind disappear, Susan Schade and Jon Buller have a tale for you.
The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last
2,000 Years
by Bernard Lewis
f you’re looking for an accessible and well written history about the conflict in the Middle East, read Bernard Lewis’s The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Lewis is heralded as the world’s foremost authority on the Middle East and this comprehensive history will help you stay ahead of the game.
Coraline
by Neil Gaiman
Read the book before the movie comes out in 2008! If you’re looking for a quick but frightening read, don’t miss this. Neil Gaiman, author of the Sandman Chronicles, Stardust, and the screenplay for the movie Beowulf, writes a strangely fascinating and scary tale about a young girl who discovers another world on the other side of a secret door.