Title Why Women Have Better Relationships Under Capitalism and Other Economic Arguments Author Kristen R. Ghodsee Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review This was a very solid feminist argument that capitalism relies on the unpaid labor of women to function. It talks about the history of different Soviet Bloc countries and, while those countries were by no means utopian for women, gender equality was much more common. Heterosexual relationships for women have historically been matters of safety and survival; unable to get jobs of their own, they needed the income of a man to survive. Under socialism, with women's basic needs met, relationships could be pursued out of love and genuine interest, rather than a de facto hostage situation as in the West. With Medicaid and social security slashed, we will start seeing more economic insecurity for women and more reliance on relationships to survive, but this book also talks about how capitalism hurts everyone (not just women). I appreciated that it ended on a hopeful note, and the historical elements of women's own perceptions of their lives under socialism was very interesting. Submitted By Rachel Kadar Department or Major Academic Programs Services Status Staff Chapman Email rkadar@chapman.edu

 

Title Don’t Let the Forest In Author C.G. Drews Location Other Book Review A thrilling and horrifying mix of my favorite topics— queerness, Eldritch-like horror, and teenagers fighting the supernatural. This book was fantastically written, and I could directly relate to some of the character struggles. It was an amazing read and I’ll definitely be thinking about it for a long time after. Submitted By Finn Nowlin Department or Major Film and Television Production Status Student Chapman Email fnowlin@chapman.edu

 

Title Lady Macbeth: A Novel Author Ava Reid Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review This was a very enjoyable read! This is a take on Shakespeare from the maligned woman's perspective, and it examines some very interesting themes (What is a witch? What is a monster? What is intelligence, power, cleverness?) This book does make me rethink my initial impressions of the Shakepearean Lady Macbeth and I plan to go back and reread Macbeth with these new considerations of her circumstances in mind. Submitted By Rachel Kadar Department or Major Academic Programs Services Status Staff Chapman Email rkadar@chapman.edu

 

Title Norse Myths Author Kevin Corssley-Holland Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review A good collection of myths, but I thought the author added in a lot of modern judgements to the myths that I don't believe were there in the original stories. My mythology classes emphasized the context that these myths were written in, which the author did not address, so perhaps I am unfairly biased. Submitted By Laura Neis Department or Major Business College Status Staff Chapman Email lneis@chapman.edu

 

Title Mama's Last Hug Author Frans De Waal Call Number ILL Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review Frans de Waal was a primatologist and ethologist, and this book highlights both studies. This is an excellent book about animals' emotions, with chimpanzees being the primary focus. It covers everything from death to warfare, empathy, and free will in animals. This is easier to read for an animal science/non-fiction genre than others. Submitted By Caylin Schmenk Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email schmenk@chapman.edu

 

Title You Author Caroline Kepnes Call Number audiobook Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review If you watched the first season of You on Netflix and liked it, you will enjoy the audiobook. Our main character and narrator, "Joe," is even more unhinged than the show. It's scary to hear how he rationalizes all his bad behavior. The plot of the show follows the book pretty closely, so no big surprises or reveals. I will say that the book is much funnier than the show. Joe tries so hard to be witty and funny -- it makes for a gruesome comedy. Submitted By Julie Johnson Department or Major IS&T Status Staff Chapman Email juliejohnson@chapman.edu

 

Title A Death in Cornwall Author Daniel Silva Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review New to reading author Daniel Silva, this fast-paced and exciting novel takes place in Cornwall England where a world renown looted art investigator is found murdered. Agent Gabriel Allon investigates to finds that the murder plot is also wrapped up into the plot to force our the Prime Minister whose ideas of government reform  of England's financial business laws seen too scary for the opposition to embrace. This story has real relevance to the US and it's domestic agenda and social welfare programs. As in the US, the story centers on rich people capitalizing on dirty money coming in, being laundered with full awareness of and with full political support. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses. Author Gristwood, Sarah Call Number n/a Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review I was excited to get back into my tudor/war of the roses history, and this book did a great job of bringing back those memories. It took a focus on the women of the war, and it was well written. I was glad that Interlibrary Loan allowed me to read this book! Submitted By Laura Neis Department or Major Business College Status Staff Chapman Email lneis@chapman.edu

 

Title	All Systems Red
Author	Martha Wells
Location	Other
Rating	Highly Recommended
Book Review	This was an excellent novella! I loved the action, but the real draw was the interesting characters. The main character goes through a lot of growth and figuring out exactly what its deal was is very interesting.
Submitted By	Laura Neis
Department or Major	Business College
Status	Staff
Chapman Email	lneis@chapman.edu

 

Title D.H. Lawrence Selected Poems Author Edited by Dr Jan Todd, Oxford Student Texts Call Number PR6023.A93A6 1993 Location 2nd Floor Humanities Rating Highly Recommended Book Review Lawrence is referred to as an author and a poet in multiple historic fiction novels I have read and watched on t.v. He wrote several poems about the natural world in Birds, Beasts and Flowers including snakes, hippos, and whales but the Hummingbird is the only poem where he did not write from his own personal knowledge. He crafted a prehistoric world where this bird whizzed around jabbing stems and veins. And imagined this bird was probably once big. Ending with his relief that is now not. Poetry was once described as "just like spoken song lyrics." So, I challenge myself to embrace this creative genre. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title The Wedding People Author Alison Espach Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review A propulsive story about Phoebe Stone, lost in routine as a professor, struggling with depression, and the pressures of attempting to please others before herself. Phoebe spends a week as an accepted, but uninvited wedding guest she eventually learns to craft a new outlook on her life while observing strangers, their habits and idiosyncrasies. The  author crafted this story full of humor and relatable characters. Pure enjoyment I did not want to end. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title The Starless Sea Author Erin Morgenstern Call Number PS.3613.O74875S73 2019 Location 2nd Floor Humanities Book Review This fantasy novel follows a young man who finds himself in a story in a book from the restricted section of his library. He follows the story by opening doors when keys are presented, and opening his heart to strangers. Bees, swords and keys play a magical and significant roll in moving the fantastic story along. The reader MUST agree to submit to the ethereal language and believe in the impossible...like witnessing a staged play, stepping into the theatre you must trust and embrace the suspension of disbelief. And of course there is a masquerade, dancing, loneliness, evil, happiness, and love. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title	In The Dream House
Author	Carmen Maria Machado
Location	Other
Rating	Highly Recommended
Book Review	Wow this book was so incredible and unlike anything I have ever read before. I don't think I have ever read a book in the second person before, and I really enjoyed it because it really drew me into the story. I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, which made it a super immersive and heartfelt experience. This book is so unique in so many ways and I highly recommend it! I also recommend checking for trigger warnings before starting this book.
Submitted By	Chloe Lehmann
Department or Major	Business Admin
Status	Alumni
Chapman Email	clehmann@chapman.edu