Books discussed: The CIA World Factbook 2019-2020 by the CIA (2019), Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America by Roger Tory Peterson (2020)

Databases come in all shapes and sizes. The term "database" has become more common since the computer revolution, but databases are actually ancient. Clay tablets from the ancient Near East that list a king's possessions--such as his inventory of his cattle, bushels of wheat, and servants--are databases, a collection of data.

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Why Peer Review?

The peer-review process is how new information is created. Serious scientists and scholars of all stripes share something in common: an attempt to create new information. New information has to pass a rigorous gauntlet that is unique in the publishing world.

Peer-review is not about a writer "getting a gig" or satisfying a fanbase; rather, it's an attempt to answer a relevant question that shines new light on a specific topic, adding to the corpus of human knowledge.

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An Old Argument

Bashing print books is now retro. It was another night of listening to yet another person tell me that print books were dead and libraries weren't going to be around anymore. It was probably the 27th person that week who had told me that my job was obsolete. This conversation tended to happen somewhere between the "Hello, nice to meet you" and the "So what do you do" parts of standard American small talk.

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Yes, Audiobooks Count!

You can quote me. This librarian gives a resounding "YES" to the question: "Do audiobooks count as reading?" You bet they do. And I'm going to explain why. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you enjoy audiobooks. Listening to books is not "inferior" to reading them. I implore you: indulge yourself with the spoken word. Like the printed page, the spoken word has the same power to transmit ideas or to create new, interesting worlds.

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Why are bibliographies important?

"Do I really have to make a bibliography?" you might be wondering. Or your friend who has returned to college in her forties might be wondering. Or your teenage son who has a five-page paper due tomorrow might be wondering. The kicker usually happens when the student or researcher realizes just how nit-picky bibliography styles are.

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Book discussed: Moby Dick by Herman Melville (1851)

Also mentioned: Genesis attributed to Moses (c.1200 BC), Jonah attributed to Jonah (c.500 BC)

Moby Dick has a reputation. And that reputation depends on who you talk to. American high school students tend to well... prefer square dancing in period costume or juggling with bowling balls.

Many adults think Moby Dick must be important for some reason, but when it was assigned in high school, they would rather square dance in period costume or juggle with bowling balls. Sadly, many think watching a film version "counts." The "I saw the movie" line might work with Jaws, but it ain't gonna pass muster for Moby Dick. Here's why.

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Books discussed: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953), Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945), Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937), War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (1898), Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843), Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (1599), Sir Gawian and the Green Knight, by Unknown (c.1400), Beowulf by Unknown (c.1000 AD)

Does the thought of reading a classic work sound boring or intimidating? Are you going on a short trip, and you want a short but enriching read? Or are you used to fast, contemporary stories, but wished you could dive into something "literary"? Or do you love classics, but you are having a difficult time convincing your child (or your friend) to give one a try? No problem: some classics are really short.

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Have I read that?
Who wrote that great book with the bartender turned lawyer?
There was a great book on Thomas Jefferson that I read last year, but I can't remember the title.


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Books discussed: Abduction by Dr. John Mack (1994), Communion by Whitley Strieber (1987), Intruders by Budd Hopkins (1987), The Interrupted Journey by John Fuller (1975)

Nonfiction can be stranger than fiction. Sometimes a jaunt down the "can this be real?" avenue is good for us, because it challenges our assumptions.

Just when we think we have a good hold on reality, we get a jostle. For instance, before the 1970s, scientists were pretty convinced that life required sunlight. And then life was discovered at the bottom of the ocean, thriving in complete darkness. Old assumptions about the nature of reality were turned upside down.

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Book discussed: The World Almanac edited by Sarah Janssen (2019)

Also mentioned: Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology edited by T.F. Hoad (2003)

Sometimes it's just faster--and easier--to find a reliable statistic in the current print edition (in this case, 2019) of The World Almanac than it is to click around online.

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"I don't do much reading anymore."
"I am so tired at the end of the day."
"I've always wanted to read Lord of the Rings, but I just don't have time."

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Book Discussed: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (1990)

Also mentioned: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (1870)

Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park is so much more than a "monster in the house" novel.

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Book discussed: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond (1999)

Also mentioned: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (2018)

Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel was a watershed achievement when it appeared in the late 1990s. This book relates directly to a number of fields, including world history, anthropology, archaeology, economics, and geography.

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