Stay Informed: Updates, Events and Stories
Submitted By: Stacy Snyder, Digital Collections Projects and Compliance Librarian; Accessibility Coordinator
Told from the point of view of a Russian aristocrat sentenced to house arrest for life in a hotel in Moscow in 1922, you get see the evolution of Russian life and politics through the eyes of someone who observes it from a unique perspective. A vibrant cast of characters keeps the story interesting.
Submitted By: Denise Wolfe, Senior Communications Specialist
Short story collections are great to take on in small bites when trying to read an entire novel seems overwhelming. There are so many collections to pick from depending on the preferred genre.
Find A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories at UB Libraries.
Submitted By: Allison Nicley, Visiting Assistant Librarian
Assassin's Apprentice has amazing world-building, a unique magic system, and great political intrique! It is the first book in the Realm of the Elderlings, one of the greatest fantasy series I've genuinely ever read.
Submitted By: Erin Rowley, Head, Science & Engineering Library Services
A highly imaginative book that weaves together stories across centuries (from ancient past to the future) all centered on one book. Cloud Cuckoo Land was unlike anything I've read. It's not a short read but it's one that I will always remember.
Submitted By: Sarah Patton, Lead User Services Librarian
From one of the greatest writers on the Elizabethan era, Dark Renaissance is the thrilling and subversive life story of Christopher Marlowe – Shakespeare’s inspiration and rival, who helped to bring England out of the cultural darkness and into the light.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Easy read about how impactful it was to arrive by ship to American shores in the early 1900s. Told in the first person by real immigrants—a page turner.
Submitted By: Bryan Sajecki, Social Sciences, Student Support, & Instruction Librarian
This debut novel from a UB author hits the mark if you're looking for a beachy themed romance with a touch of mystery. The story centers on Casey who ditches her perfectly stable legal career in Cincinnati for the salty breeze and sun-drenched streets of Key West. Little does she know that her life is totally going to change.
Submitted By: Stacy Snyder, Digital Collections Projects and Compliance Librarian; Accessibility Coordinator
Something is happening with evolution, and pregnancy and childbirth quickly become monitored and controlled by the state. When 20-something Cedar gets pregnant, she's forced to come to terms with how the world is changing and what that means for her and her baby. She travels to find her Ojibwe family and hopefully protection from the various groups trying to control the situation.
Submitted By: Sarah Cogley, Digital Collections and Repositories Librarian
Part thriller, part outdoor survival, this novel is fast-paced and a quick read. If themes of adventure, self-discovery and mystery are of interest, this book is a great summer read.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Great overview of the Nordic way of living life and thinking. Every chapter is about a different thing, and it is an easy read. The impacts on society as a whole don't need to always come from the "heavy-hitters" in economics or colonization. Iceland is small but still important.
Submitted By: Mary Kamela, Student Support and Engagement Librarian
This historical fiction novel, set in San Francisco in the 1950s, explores what it was like to grow up in the city's Chinatown during the Red Scare. Through the experiences of protagonists Lily and Kath, readers get to know San Francisco and its storied history as a vibrant, diverse city.
Submitted By: Jonathan Grunert, Scholarly Publishing Librarian
McMurtry leads us on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana with a group of cowboys who encounter all sorts of trouble along the way. Don't let its length discourage you— this novel simultaneously moves along quickly while letting us live in the world McMurtry h as populated with quite interesting characters.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Fascinating book about the lives of teen girls in Brooklyn, a world away from mainstream USA culture.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Excellent! This woman has overcome so many obstacles in her life; she is a trailblazer for those with MS and those who use a wheelchair. Has reflections on her time in India and London and receiving her many higher ed degrees.
Submitted By: Stacy Snyder, Digital Collections Projects and Compliance Librarian; Accessibility Coordinator
Middle school science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of what he's doing there. He finds two other people on the ship, but both are dead. Over the coming days, his memory comes back and he remembers that he's on a mission to find a way to save Earth from an entity that is eating the sun. This is now major motion picture which I highly recommend seeing.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Excellent book about self-reflection and what we and others need in friendships, marriages, etc.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Read this to learn a lot about the needs of disabled people and how science can enliven their lives and create new unheard of abilities.
Submitted By: Laurel Mueller, Medical & Biomedical Sciences Liaison Librarian
Some books don't always hold up in a reread, but that cannot be said for Suzanne Collin's dystopian young adult series about living in and fighting against an authoritarian regime. Plus, summer is the perfect time to read before the film adaptation of the prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, hits theaters in November.
Submitted By: Jessica Hollister, Dental Liaison Librarian
Murder, she wrote! Nothing says "summer" quite like a murder mystery set in a quaint English village. Highly regarded as one of Agatha Christie's best works, this novel features her famous protagonist, detective Hercule Poirot, and is to be enjoyed by any modern murder mystery fan.
Submitted By: Bryan Sajecki Social Sciences, Student Support, & Instruction Librarian
Do you ever feel like life is meaningless, like society doesn't make any sense? If so, this book is right for you! Translated from French, this 1942 novel explores the life and inner thoughts of the main character, Meursault, as he struggles to fit into society. It is absurd by nature and has influenced subsequent works of literature and film. This is a title I reread often because of the weird, quirky charm. Oh, and there are several different English translations available, so pick your poison.
Submitted By: Stacy Snyder, Digital Collections Projects and Compliance Librarian; Accessibility Coordinator
Norse mythology from the point of view of "the bad guys." Angrboda is a witch who Loki's lover and the mother of Hel, Fenrir, and Jörmungandr, the three of whom play critical roles in Ragnarök. This is Angrboda's story.
Submitted By: Jill Hackenberg, Sciences Librarian
Temple Grandin has a great, clear writing style. The focus is on how learning is not a one size fits all concept. As a teacher, I was amazed at so many of the examples presented. As a learner, I could see that my parents were different than me and now I have a more applicable way to describe what I am trying to "explain" to them. AND how my old examples and methods did not land, and why.
Submitted By: Ally Wood, Engineering Librarian
A quick and clever read, with one of the greatest opening paragraphs of all time! We Have Always Lived in the Castle is perfect for fans of Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House (an adaption of Jackson's book by the same name) and anyone who enjoys gothic fiction or unreliable narrators. Part of UB Libraries' Spotlight on Horror.