Organize Your Summer Reading

I don't have much time for leisure reading during the school year, so I try to keep track of books on the bestseller lists from the New York Times and Amazon, and lists from magazines, book reviews, and books buzzed about in the news. When the pace slows down a bit over the summer or on vacation, I like to make sure I have some ideas for new books to dive into. There's a lot of great ways to organize books you've read or books you want to read. Here are just a few:
 

Goodreads
This social media site for readers lets you see what you're friends are reading, what your friends want to read, and you can post updates to let others know how far you are in a book and write reviews. It's the one tool I use to keep track of my reads and to get ideas for what to read next. You can even create or join discussion groups, like this one for Anne Arundel County Public Library.

LibraryThing
Make your own library out of your book collection using this website. It lets people post reviews, recommend books, and keep track of what they are reading.

WorldCat Lists
Langsdale Library uses WorldCat Local as a way to search for books. You can also create an account to create lists of books, like this user-created list. Langsdale creates its own lists for things like books by UB Faculty.

Pinterest
A social media site based around images, many people have created book-based pin boards to keep track of books they love, book reviews, or books they want to read. The Pinterest page for Enoch Pratt Free Library has pin boards for book reviews, special collections, and pictures of Enoch Pratt library.

Twitter
With a limit of 140 characters, #1book140 has managed to create book discussions on Twitter. The page also posts information on books and other book clubs. Maryland libraries are using the twitter tag #summerreading to talk about summer reading programs and to give book recommendations. You can easily join the conversation and share what you're reading by using the same tag #summerreading

What do you use to organize your reads?

Fourth of July – Book Style

Bayasaa (via flicker)

Hanging out with your family and friends this Fourth of July? That’s so outdated. This year, celebrate it with the books. You can never go wrong with a book that’ll help you relax and enjoy the wonderful days of summer.  July 4th is Independence Day. Take time to independently read and relax away from everyone until you finish your latest summer novel (and still enjoy a bit of patriotic craziness).

The summer calls for fun, and reading is fun. Well, at least to me. I’m a student worker at Langsdale and I’m an obsessive book reader. The only negative consequence to my reading addiction is poor time management. I’m always so hooked on books that I pay little attention to anything else around me.

This year I have it all planned out: I’ve arranged my day to cook food, help clean up before the big cookout, and then escape and read my latest pick up: Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews. This new novel should take me about three hours.  Right when I finish, I pictured my mother yelling that the food is ready. A perfect holiday! There’s family, books, and fun. Who’d pass up that opportunity? Figuring that you all do not celebrate the same way as me, this is my tip to you. Take on my new found tradition. Imagine finishing your novel just as the fireworks erupt – pure magic! Enjoy your holiday and don’t forget to read this summer.

-Jasmine

The Art of Travel

In these waning days of July, often permeated by hot and sultry days, I get wanderlust and think how great it would be to travel to some enchanted place.  A destination that readily comes to mind is Italy. It is a land of incredible beauty, food and music.  After all who can dispute the music of Verdi and Puccini; cuisine that inspires the renown chefs; and a landscape that draws to it great artist and writers.   

As July soon fades into August and the summer all too quickly becomes autumn, actually going to Italy must remain an unrealized desire.  However, this is why I believe books were created to allow us to travel anywhere and at any time in history we can imagine.  So though I may be place bound, I am free to go to Italy and see it through the eyes of great writers and artists. 

My three favorite books that transport me through time and space to Italy are: The Venetian Hours:Henry James, Whistler and Sargent by Hugh Honor and John Fleming; Henry James on Italy: Selections fromItalian Hours; and Twilight in Italy:D.H. Lawrence.  Each volume is a treasure chest containing nuggets of prose and richly illustrated with paintings that breathe life into my imaginary escape.  Evenings spent sitting on my porch reading passages and gazing at the paintings within, all the while listening to Italian opera arias is my magical summer vacation in Italy.

- Tom Hollowak, Special Collections Department

Summer Reads

Books for the Beach or Backyard
Need a break from studying or want a book to take to the beach? Check out Langsdale Library's Leisure Reading collection on the first floor of the library. These are just a few of the titles that are available:


The Baseball Codes

A behind-the-scenes analysis of professional baseball's hidden rules reveals the impact of unwritten codes of conduct, retaliatory behaviors, and cheating, providing examples as committed by such figures as Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Don Drysdale.

 

 

Drifting : two weeks on the Hudson      

A trip down the Hudson River with an introspective and humorous look at the river and Recession-Era America 

Moby-duck : the true story of 28,800 bath toys lost at sea and of the beachcombers, oceanographers, environmentalists, and fools, including the author, who went in search of them

When the author heard of the mysterious loss of thousands of bath toys at sea, he figured he would interview a few oceanographers, talk to a few beachcombers, and read up on Arctic science and geography. But questions can be like ocean currents: wade in too far, and they carry you away.






These summaries are from WorldCat. Read more by searching Langsdale's collections or just come in and check out the books yourself. For the summer school session, the library is open until 9 PM Monday through Thursday and until 6 PM on Fridays. We'll also be open Saturdays 1 PM to 5 PM.