Category Archives: Entertainment

The Most Popular Books of 2017

January 18, 2018 The Hawk Leave a comment

The year of 2017 was filled with the release of new page-turners hot off the presses. According to Goodreads, a website where users rate and review the books they’ve read, the most popular books of the year were all fictional novels and included the following:

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Ranked the most popular book of the year, this novel is about a town where everything from its infrastructure to the future lives of its citizens is planned with scrutiny. When a free-thinking artist named Mae and her daughter Pearl move into the town, conflict emerges between the new family and other residents. This book suggests that even careful planning and management cannot prevent the inevitable messiness of life.

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
After Jules’ sister Nel dies in a river nicknamed the Drowning Pool, Jules must care for Nel’s teenage daughter. At the same time, Jules is forced to confront her fears about the place where she and her sister grew up and the nearby frightening river, which has been the site of the mysterious deaths of women over the years.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This book handles themes of police violence and the divide between wealthy and impoverished communities. When 16-year-old Starr sees her friend Khalil shot by the police despite being unarmed, she enters into the heart of a conflict between protesters and those who support the decision of the police to kill her friend.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
In the latest novel by the renowned young adult author, teenage friends Aza and Daisy embark on a search to undercover information about a criminal named Russell Pickett. A coming-of-age story, Turtles All the Way Down depicts how Aza learns about friendship and perseverance during her quest to uncover the truth.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
This novel was inspired by a true case of child trafficking that took place in the first half of the twentieth-century by Georgia Tann, the director of an adoption organization in Memphis, Tennessee. This novel tracks the fictional kidnapping of Rill Foss and her siblings, who are taken from their family by an orphanage connected to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society.

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My personal favorite read of 2017 was The Peculiar Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. Though this book was not published in 2017, I highly recommend adding it to your reading list. The story is about a young girl named Rose who can taste the subconscious emotions of other people in the food that they cook for her. This novel explores the hidden, deeper feelings that humans keep just below the surface of everyday life and conversation.

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Several new books to look forward to in 2018 include:

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas
This is the third novel in Maas’ series, about a royal court that rules in a realm full of drama and fantasy.

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files, #3) by Annie Kaufman
This is a science-fiction novel from a series set in the future around the year 2575. After a large corporation invades a small planet, one group of the planet’s inhabitants leaves to find another home. In the third book of this series, these individuals must return several months after the attack despite not knowing what remains of their home planet.

Untitled (Throne of Glass, #7) by Sarah J. Maas
This is the last book in the Throne of Glass series. This series chronicles events that occur in a world of pirates, assassins, and suspense.

Source: Goodreads.com

Entertainment

Author is No One-Hit Wonder

December 13, 2017 Sue McHugh Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard the term “one-hit wonder” in talking about musicians, the ones who strike it rich with one song but never repeat that success and fade into obscurity. The term can be applied to writers as well. Sara Gruen with Water for Elephants. Margaret Mitchell and Gone With the Wind. Perhaps the most famous is Harper Lee, who became a cultural icon with To Kill a Mockingbird, but failed to publish another book (I refuse to count Go Set a Watchman, a draft of Mockingbird that Lee released shortly before her death which many, erroneously, consider a sequel — but that’s an issue for another day). Sure, you’ve got your Stephen King, James Patterson, Jodi Picoult, writers who produce at least one hit a year for decades. But, they’re the exception. More often than not, it’s one and done.

That’s why I was overjoyed to discover Fredrik Backman, a Swedish author whose novel A Man Called Ove spent more than 30 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Turns out, his other works are not only just as good, but maybe even better. (and not to worry, they’re all in English. Even I’m not that highbrow)

Ove is the story of a grumpy old man (think the lead character in the movie “Up”) whose attempts at suicide after his wife’s death are thwarted by his quirky neighbors. Sounds heavy, but it’s told with such humor, and the cast of characters is so engaging, that it ends up being an uplifting story. I had heard rave reviews about it from all my reader friends, so when I finally stopped waiting for it from the public library and ordered it online, I had high expectations. I was not disappointed. I’m a fast reader, in general, but this book I devoured. I laughed, I cried, and then I worried: should I try his other books and risk that they won’t be as good?

Backman’s second novel My Grandmother Told Me To Tell You She’s Sorry had the benefit of an intriguing title, so I gave it a try. It’s similar to Ove in that it centers on a community of people – quirky, flawed, likable and not – that grab your attention. Also like Ove, the truth is revealed in bits and pieces that kept me eagerly turning pages. The main character of this book is 7-year-old Elsa, a misfit who loses her best friend when her unorthodox grandmother passes away. The grandmother leaves Elsa a sort of of treasure hunt that reveals her greatest joys and deepest regrets. Drawn as I am to precocious child characters, I may even have liked this better than Ove.

Another novel, Britt Marie was Here, takes a somewhat unlikable character from Grandmother and tells her story. Having scored twice with this author, I gave it a shot and was not disappointed. It was a different story, not quite as good, but with enough of Backman’s interesting characters and charm to keep it enjoyable. Much of the plot revolves around a down-and-out soccer team, so if you like the sport, that may draw you in.

The short novel Every Morning, the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer is about the effects of dementia. I only skimmed it, not being in the right frame of mind to read it at this time. I’ve heard it’s beautiful but difficult if you’ve lost someone to the disease.

Finally, Backman’s Beartown may be the book that young adult readers would find most riveting. It’s a story of a remote, and shrinking, town that pins its hopes for success on its local hockey team. But when the star player is accused of a brutal crime, those in the community take sides and the town’s future is jeopardized. While Backman’s other books are written in episodes that all tie together, this one is more of a straight narrative. In an age when sports is valued and athletes are revered, this was a thought-provoking read.

Entertainment

Art Takes Shape

October 30, 2017 The Hawk 1 Comment

By Yasmina Berkat

This study of a statue of an angel, done in Mr. Crawford’s art class, took about five hours to complete. The geometry of the angel was easy to sketch out; the only difficult part was the proportions.

click on each picture to enlarge

If you have artwork you’d like to share, please see Mrs. McHugh in the library.

Entertainment

Prism Concert Reflects HHS’ Joy in Music

October 30, 2017 The Hawk Leave a comment

A prism is an object that has refracting surfaces that take light and sound and bounce them off one another, making it seem like you are surrounded by something beautiful. This is exactly what Mr. Wade and Mr. Harden accomplished on Thursday night with the spectacular Prism Concert!

This was the first year that the concert was held, organized as part of the district-wide Choose Presence Program that encourages students and staff to unplug from our devices and social media and connect in real life. Mr. Harden, the band director, first witnessed this type of concert while at other districts while Mr. Wade, the choral director, experienced it while student teaching. Everyone in the room, performers and audience members alike, were captivated by each performance that took place.

Starting off with a bang, all chorus and the bands collaborated in a beautiful piece called Resonances that truly embraced the definition of a prism. With the chorus singing on the staircase and the band performing from all corners of the room, it truly made you feel embraced by the music. From there on, the night just got better!

Each time a new group would perform, they would be positioned somewhere in the auditorium that you totally wouldn’t expect! Interspersed among the performances were videos in which students explained what music meant to them and how it made them feel happy and together with other people.

The concert definitely made you feel one with the music! Starting with the ninth grade chorale and ending with the jazz band, it definitely was a night to remember!

Entertainment

Field Trip Features French Culture, Amazing ‘Phantom’

October 2, 2017 The Hawk Leave a comment

Do you enjoy musicals? Are you a fan of mystery and extravagance? Regardless of whether you are drawn to musical theatre or not, The Phantom of the Opera on stage is well worth the ticket. With an iconic soundtrack, intriguing characters, and skilled actors and actresses, the play will entice all audiences, regardless of their interest in classic musicals.

Recently, a group of French students at Hanover High School took a field trip to see Phantom performed live at the Boston Opera House. The play is based on a 1910 French novel by the same name written by Gaston Leroux. The story has inspired many movies and play productions because of its dramatic and original plot. In the story, a female performer at the Paris Opera House catches the attention of a masked composer who hides below the Opera to conceal his disfigured face. Christine, the singer who attracts the concealed “Phantom,” must choose between an admirer from her childhood and the mysterious, often unpredictable composer. Though the play contains elements of tragedy, the convincing performances by the actors, the beautiful stage sets, and the dramatic music make the experience of seeing the play exciting and suspenseful.

Before watching the play, French teachers Mrs. Dhommee and Mrs. Youngworth took their students to Brasserie JO, a Boston restaurant that serves French cuisine. Students ate from a delicious selection of foods, including French onion soup, a variety of sandwiches, and a plate of French desserts such as crème brûlée. Some even tried escargot—and liked it, for the most part!

Overall, the day served as an enriching learning experience, exposing students to aspects of French culture from baguettes before lunch to French literature performed on stage. It is uncommon for students to leave high school for the day to travel into Boston and experience so much culture firsthand, and it will be an unforgettable experience for all who attended. I highly suggest seeing The Phantom of the Opera when it comes back to Boston again, or wherever it finds you in the future!

Entertainment

HHS Indian Playlist #1

May 15, 2017 The Hawk Leave a comment

In my historic two-year run with The Indian, I have never published anything non-sports related. Today is the first day I provide you with different content. I am going to give you a playlist of songs you definitely know and love, as well as some low-key hits you haven’t heard yet. The playlist includes rap, hip-hop and pop and if you hate it, I totally won’t make another one. But if it’s loved, we can absolutely do this again. I am not a DJ in the slightest bit, I’m here just trying this out. The Playlist is available on Apple Music, including the clean versions.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/hhs-indian-playlist/idpl.f234370aff5842c0a77c09fdd02c6d3f

The Heart Part 4 – Kendrick Lamar

Goosebumps – Travis Scott (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Reminder – The Weekend

Break From Toronto – PARTYNEXTDOOR

Galway Girl – Ed Sheeran

You Love It – Roy Woods

Comin Out Strong – Future (Feat. The Weekend)

Do Not Disturb – Drake

Sanctified – Rick Ross (Feat. Kanye West & Big Sean)

Deja Vu – J Cole

Our Own House – MisterWives

Passionfruit – Drake

Really Got It – Jerreau

On Me – The Game (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Sorry Not Sorry – Bryson Tiller

That’s What I like – Bruno Mars

Sidewalks – The Weekend (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

6PM In New York – Drake

Rockabye – Clean Bandit (Feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)

Castle On The Hill – Ed Sheeran

Portland – Drake (Feat. Quavo & Travis Scott)

On The Regular – Meek MIll

Barcelona – Ed Sheeran

Entertainment, Sports

ESPN’s 30 for 30 Series: the world through the lens of sports

January 26, 2017 The Hawk 2 Comments

When I was in junior high, growing up in upstate N.Y., I was a rabid Mets fan. I watched every game that was televised, yelled at the screen, wrote fan mail to the players. My mood rose and fell with the team’s success. Then, one day, the Mets traded away my favorite player and it my beloved baseball became nothing more than a business. I would never be a follower of pro sports again.

In spite of this (or because of this?!), I ended up marrying a sportswriter who constantly surfs between any and every sport that’s on. He also introduced me to ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, a collection of documentaries about moments and people in sports history that the network began to celebrate its 30th anniversary. At first glance, I had no interest in watching more sports. But I quickly learned that the series is about so much more than players and games. It shines a light on our culture, through the lens of the athletes and teams we follow. I’ve learned so much about the value, and pressure, we place on team sports at every level and about the role sports play in different parts of the world. How we play, worship, market and demonize sports reveals a lot about who we are. I would recommend the series to everyone, “sports fan” or not.

Here are a few episodes I really enjoyed:

Playing for the Mob:
This episode comes from our backyard and deals with the point shaving controversy at Boston College in the late 1970s that found
basketball players tangled up with the mob. This was a riveting story of wiseguys, including Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke, made famous by the movie Goodfellas. It’s also an example of how young athletes can be tempted by big bucks, whether it’s through recruiting incentives or, in this case, payoffs for keeping the score down in a game.

Of Miracles and Men: If you think you know the full story of the U.S. Olympic hockey triumph over the powerhouse Soviet team in 1980, this episode will make you think again. The classic moment in sports history has always been categorized as a battle between good and evil, democracy and communism. Yet, as the show reveals, the members of the Soviet hockey team were outstanding players molded into a formidable squad by a legendary coach. The Russian team routed the Americans in an exhibition the week before. Perhaps that makes the “Miracle on Ice” even more powerful. But I was saddened by the stories of the Russian players, who returned home not as heroes but in shame. No matter how many games they won in the rest of their careers, their defeat in the Olympics overshadowed it all. If you’re a real hockey fan, you’ve got to feel for them.

Doc & Darryl: This one hurt. Pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden and outfielder Darryl Strawberry were the stars who led the New York Mets to the 1986 World Series championship. Fans expected that both players, young and seemingly unstoppable, would be part of a dynasty for the next decade. But their battles with addictions derailed what should have been Hall of Fame careers. When I was a kid, I’d heard about their problems, but looking back on the years they lost due to drugs and alcohol — and seeing Gooden, more than 20 years later, still struggling — was devastating. So much wasted potential. Was it the pressure of playing in the spotlight? Too much money and fame too young? Regardless, it’s heartbreaking, and all too common.

The Best that Never Was: From a small, impoverished town in Mississippi, Marcus Dupree was one of the best high school running backs that the country had ever seen. Colleges went to great lengths to recruit him, and when he signed with Oklahoma in 1981, it was predicted that he was on his way to being the youngest winner of the Heisman Trophy and a star in the NFL. But things didn’t work out that way; a series of injuries derailed his path and he wound up back home and demoralized at only 24. His struggle to redeem himself and make another try for the NFL is inspiring.

Pony Excess: Southern Methodist University was caught in a recruiting scandal in the 1980s that led to the yearlong suspension of the football program and more than a decade of repercussions. Even today, the program struggles to be successful. Hearing about the lengths that college coaches and boosters went to secure top recruits – cars, cash, girls – and realizing that SMU was far from the only offender made me think again about college sports. It’s big business, with football and basketball especially raking in major revenue for schools. Is it fair to put this value, and pressure, on young athletes? Or do they deserve a piece of the pie that they’re bringing in?

The Two Escobars: In Colombia, soccer was a national pastime but didn’t become an international success until Pablo Escobar and other drug kingpins lent their financial support. The episode details the rise and fall of Escobar, the country’s national team, and a star player, Andres Escobar, who was killed in the crossfire of the drug wars. The show gives a lot of insight into the drug trade of the 1980s, how it affected Colombia as well as the United States. It also highlights how sport can be a lifesaver for poor and hopeless youth.

Entertainment

RIP Vine: Gone, But Not Forgotten

January 18, 2017 The Hawk Leave a comment

After almost four years of bringing nothing but pure joy and laughter to the world, the Vine app was shut down on Jan. 17. Though the videos created with the app were each just 6 seconds long, their impact will stay with me much longer.

Released on January 24, 2013, the Vine app was transcendent, something the world of social media had never seen before. At first, the app wasn’t very popular; people weren’t quite sure what it was capable of or what purpose it served. But, soon enough, it gained its footing and became the next big thing in social media.

Like all social media sites, Vine gained a select group of users who were the best of the best. These viners became stars. Elite members received sponsorships, acting opportunities, T.V. appearances and even a start to successful music careers. Vine became another social media app where people could make money. Beside serving as a platform for stardom, vine was also the home to many of the iconic memes of our generation. Terms that have made their way into our everyday language like “eyebrows on fleek” or “bye Felicia” were created through the Vine app. Vine was a space that allowed all types of users to explore their comedic values. It’s brought many people happiness.

But true to fashion, all good things must come to an end.

Before its release, Vine was bought by Twitter in October 2012 for $30 million. Vine remained successful for a period of time, but started to fall short once other apps began to adopt some of its features. Remember when Instagram didn’t have video? Many users stopped using Vine once other apps started to offer more advanced video features. Its inability to bring in large amounts of money is one of the reasons for its demise. Another point that has been brought up is that Twitter wants to be seen as an news platform. It wants to keep its users informed on what is going on in today’s world. Sadly, Vine didn’t fit into that image.

So as of Jan.17, the Vine app will be turned into the Vine camera. Users will still be able to create 6-second videos, but they will upload straight to Twitter. So yeah, I guess the Vine app wasn’t really deleted, but the heart and spirit of it was.

To me, Vine will always hold a special place in my heart. It has brought more bliss to my life than any other form of social media. It has impacted me in a way that I will never forget. To some this may sound dramatic, but Vine was so much more than just an app. It was revolutionary; it was one of the best things of this generation, and a huge part of many lives across the globe. I feel sorry for those who have never experienced the wonder of Vine , and for those who will never get the chance. I am truly lucky to have experienced all that Vine had to offer. It will be missed by me and many others worldwide. RIP Vine. Thank you.

Works Cited

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/28/13456208/why-vine-died-twitter-shutdown

Entertainment

Cast, Crew Preparing for Legally Blonde: The Musical

October 6, 2016 The Hawk Leave a comment

After a debut last year at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild Festival and a stupendous production of the 1930s musical Anything Goes, Hanover High School’s Drama Department is back for another great year. The department welcomes Mr. Wade, new choral director here at HHS and the music director for the fall production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.

“Mr. Wade is awesome and efficient!” said Billy Porter, Class of ‘18. “We already learned all the music and I love everyone in the cast.”

The musical takes the fall slot this year, which has previously been used for a play, a decision that was controversial among the participants of drama club. Past performances have included Romeo and Juliet and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]. Students were amped to start off the year with a classic play, but faculty decided that the musical be the first production. Recent musicals have included The Sound of Music in March 2015 and Anything Goes last May. Students were upset about the change, as the fall has the highest percentage of students participating in sports (64%), thereby limiting who can participate in drama. However, the club has adjusted and is hard at work preparing for performances in mid-November.

An award-winning musical based on the popular movie, Legally Blonde follows the transformation of Elle Woods, who charms her way into law school in hopes of reuniting with the boyfriend who dumped her. Soon, and with the help of friends, she realizes her own potential and strives to overcome stereotypes and snobbery to prove herself to the world.

Spencer Kubicki, Class of ‘18, takes the male lead this yfall, after previously making his debut as the featured “always drunk” character in Anything Goes. “Legally blonde is an amazingly fun and upbeat musical with the perfect mix of serious and funny,” he said. “With catchy songs and memorable characters, this show is sure to be a hit!”

I, myself, am extremely delighted to be cast as Elle and share the stage with Spencer. I can’t wait for the duets we get to sing!

If interested in backstage crew, or potentially playing a few roles that remain unfilled, see Mr. Plummer (he’s usually in the auditorium)!

Cast List

Elle Woods–Macy Hohenleitner

Emmett Forrest–Spencer Kubicki

Paulette Buonofuonte–Katie Scott

Pilar–Siofra Carty

Margot–Mikenzie Matheson

Serena–Vanessa Gallo

Professor Callahan–Bruno Barbuto

Warner Huntington III–Billy Porter

Vivienne Kensington, Elle’s Mom–Maddy Carroll

Brooke Wyndham, Kate–Anna Harper

Leilani–Aria Duff

Kyle B. O’Boyle–TBD

Enid Hoops–James Sheridan

Elle’s Dad, Winthrop–Alex Linn

Sundeep Padamadan–Alex Light

Aaron Shultz, Court Stenographer–Peter Scriber

Dewey, Lowell–Freddy Trankels

Nikos Argitakos–TBD

Carlos–TBD

Grandmaster Chad–Bruno Barbuto

Pforzheimer–Jake Casey

Whitney–Teresa Nicotera

Chutney Wyndham–Lauren Bilton

Judge–Julia Goslin

D.A. Joyce Riley–Sean Goslin

TV Reporter–Chloe Coughlin

△N/Greek Chorus/Prisoners: Mikenzie Matheson, Vanessa Gallo, Siofra Carty, Aria Duff, Kyra Hohenleitner, Abby Cummings, Audrey Lloyd, Anna Harper

Ensemble: Jacob Casey, Erin Foley, Gage Gosule, Sean Goslin, Julia Goslin, Teresa Nicotera, Chloe Coughlin, Freddy Trankels, Juliana Gioso, Caroline Cleary, Peter Scribner, Alex Light, James Sheridan, Alexander Linn, Colleen Foley, Beth Monahan

Entertainment

A Feast of Books in Bite-Sized Reviews

September 30, 2016 Sue McHugh 2 Comments

Since school let out in June, I’ve been reading a veritable feast of books. Fiction as varied as a box of chocolates, biographies as savory as a rack of spices, and nonfiction as filling as a four-course meal. My figurative pants were feeling snug from all of the great books I’d devoured, but I was eager for yet another helping. September forced me to go on a bit of a diet as demands on my time changed, but now that my family and I have settled into the school routine, I’ve been able to pull up once again to the buffet that is the world of books.

Like any foodie who posts pics of favorite meals to social media, I wanted to share some of the books that I’ve been sampling. Below are bite-sized reviews of a few titles that I think you’ll find satisfying and — at the risk of pushing the food puns too far — downright delicious. All of these can be borrowed from the HHS library.

FICTION

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez: Inspired by a true event, the 1937 explosion of an East Texas school that killed 300 people, this novel follows the experiences of a Mexican-American girl and an African-American boy whose growing love crosses racial barriers and risks another kind of eruption. Extremely well-written, riveting and heartbreaking.

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie: Best known as the lead actor on TV’s House, Laurie’s novel about gun runners, secret agents and billionaires is funny and full of action. It actually reminded me of a lighter version of The Night Manager, the recent AMC series about international arms dealers starring Laurie and Tom Hiddleston.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: No, this is not a sequel, prequel or related in any way to the Fifty Shades of Grey series. This novel is about the killings, imprisonments and deportations of thousands committed during Josef Stalin’s “reign of terror.” When Stalin’s Soviet Union invaded the Baltic nation of Lithuania in 1939, he ordered attacks on doctors, lawyers, professors, political activists and pretty much anyone he thought could pose a threat to his rule. Lina’s family was among them, enduring hard labor, starvation and unimaginable abuse in Siberian prison camps.

NONFICTION

Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship of Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith: I picked up this nonfiction account, recommended by Mrs. McCusker, soon after Ali died in June. It sheds light on the evolution of both men, the preacher into a radical leader and the athlete into a racial and religious symbol. It humanized men I’d known more as icons than as people.

Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey and In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall: Both books focus on passionate women who devoted their lives to studying, and saving, endangered primates in Africa. Fossey spent years living with mountain gorillas; Goodall’s focus was on chimpanzees. Both furthered the world’s knowledge of the animals at a time when women often weren’t taken seriously in science, and their conservation work has had a lasting impact. Part memoir and part zoology lesson, the women and animals made this pair of books hard to put down.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman: Don’t be embarrassed if you’ve never heard of the Hmong. I’d mistakenly grouped them with the Vietnamese refugees who came here after the fall of Saigon. They’re a different culture, from an entirely different Southeast Asian country. But the lessons learned from this book — that doctors must be culturally sensitive, that medicine is not always stronger than spiritual beliefs — could apply to any interaction between different ethnic groups. The book follows a young girl with epilepsy and how stereotypes and misunderstandings nearly cost her life.

The Good Soldiers by David Finkel: In 2007-2008, the author followed an Army unit serving on the front lines of Iraq. Deployed as part of President George W. Bush’s “surge,” which he believed would end the war, these soldiers began their tour with vigor and ended it physically and emotionally ripped apart. The author’s heart-wrenching descriptions of battles, soldiers wounded or killed, and the families left behind will stick with you for a long time.

The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff: Even I will admit that this was a long book that took a while to get through. But if you’re interested in history or journalism, it’s fascinating. The book explores the role of the media in the Civil Rights Movement, and how the stories and images conveyed on racial issues impacted the nation. The book really highlighted the power of the media for and against change. We’ve read about and seen the famous pictures from the Freedom Marches and Little Rock Nine, but this book takes you behind the scenes with the journalists who often risked their lives to tell the story.

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester: When I was in graduate school to become a librarian, I had my first experience with the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s immense, it’s amazing, it’s intimidating. The years and effort it took to create a record of every word in the English language, including its origin and earliest printed use, must have been astounding. But that alone wouldn’t make it interesting to read about. The madman makes it interesting. An American locked for decades in a British hospital for the criminally insane — who also happened to be an incredible genius — played an unforgettable role in the project. Much of what we know about the English language today, we owe to him.

Featured image is from The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers