Come see what staff members are recommending this month. The staff picks display is on one side of the new materials spinner rack, to the right as you enter the library. We encourage you to check these items out, so don't be shy about taking them right over to the circulation desk. Here are this month's picks with staff members' descriptions:

Jon's Picks

Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott (1982)

Loosely based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick (1968), this is a dark portrait of a world wracked by climate change, controlled by corporations, and where bioengineered animals are manufactured since they're all extinct in the wild. It asks many questions about what it means to be human in a world where life is created by man. At the same time it's a fun noir police thriller.

Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984)

Written before the World Wide Web was created, and well before the internet gained much traction beyond government and academia, this thriller of a novel describes a world where people jack their brains into a worldwide computer network (The Matrix must have come from this idea). Much like in Blade Runner, it is a dystopian world of megacities, megacorporations, and mucho crime. It popularized Gibson's word "cyberspace" for describing the world of computer networks.

Looking Backward, 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy (1888)

A classic of utopian fiction, Bellamy's book imagines the year 2000, 113 years in the future. He thinks through the possibility of an egalitarian socialist society. I read it in high school, and remember it being quite interesting.

Ecotopia: the notebooks and reports of William Weston by Ernest Callenbach (1975)

What if Washington, Oregon, and northern California seceded? This novel looks at the possibilities for recreating society in a sustainable manner without completely abandoning modern technology. The author imagines a green utopia powered by solar energy, a return to rail for intercity travel, and cities filled with gardens. It's a fun 'what-if.'

Kiki's Picks

The Day of the Dead: and Other Mortal Reflections by F. Gonzalez-Crussi

"Cemeteries, hospitals and funeral homes are hardly the usual backdrop for an entertaining collection of essays. But then, the writing of Frank Gonzalez-Crussi is anything but usual... Dr. Gonzalez-Crussi... has written a book about death that is pulsing with life." --New York Times Book Review

This is a clever, interesting read. He's a great writer.

The Day of the Dead: When Two Worlds Meet in Oaxaca by Sean D. Haley and Curt Fukuda

This book is collaboration between an anthropologist and a photographer who both were doing field research on the "Day of the Dead" tradition in Mexico. This is a very interesting and insightful book.

The Book of the Dead: The Hieroglyphic Transcript and English Translation of the Papyrus of Ani, introduction by E.A. Wallace

"The book details the Egyptian view of the afterlife. Included are spells, hymns and instructions for the dead to pass through obstacles in the afterlife. This papyrus scroll was placed in the coffin of the deceased. The Book of the Dead was first thought to be a Bible but is it not a religious work. It is more of an instruction manual for the recently departed." --Publisher's description

After you read/browse this book, watch The Mummy, with Brandon Frasier (just the first one, for pity sake) again!

Linda's Picks

To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan

The first time I watched this film was on a grainy black and white television with my parents. Dates me a bit, doesn't it? Though too young to fully comprehend the story, Atticus (portrayed by Gregory Peck) instantly became my hero. Later, I read the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Harper Lee and knew I had to see the movie again. Perfectly cast, with the story perfectly told, this film remains one of my all time favorites. Atticus will forever be my hero!

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior by Temple Grandin

It was the book cover (horse crazy me!) that first caught my attention. What held it was the amazing story of an autistic woman who uses her heightened sensory perception to see the world through the animals' eyes. More amazing, she uses her knowledge and insights to make the world a better place. As a vegetarian wannabe, I admire her work and dedication to improving our nation's feedlots and slaughterhouses. Freedom from fear is her mantra. As an animal lover, I admire her period. I recommend this book for everyone, including those who want to better understand the mystery of autism. Your animal friends will thank you, too.

Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

I discovered this book about ten years ago and decided I needed to have my own copy. Thinking I should practice meditation complete with "quiet, still" time was something I craved, but not practical under the circumstances. What I discovered was I could and was practicing "mindfulness" while walking the dogs, cleaning the house, mucking the stalls, etc. My barn and nature became my sanctuary. We all need some time to slow down, be in the moment, and reflect. How we accomplish this is up to the individual.

"If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace." -Thich Nhat Hanh

Out of Gas by David Goodstein