About the Community of Readers

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Established in 2007 by the Leatherby Libraries, the Community of Readers is the summer reading program for Chapman University. This program is open to everyone who has borrowing privileges at the Leatherby Libraries and a current library account, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Members select books from the Leatherby Libraries and receive prizes upon submission of their first review. The only requirement is that books must be obtained through the Leatherby Libraries.

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Monday, June 29, 2015

The Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls



Title
The Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Author
Hershel Shanks
Call Number
BM467 .S453 1999
Location
2nd Floor Humanities
Rating
Recommended
Book Review
"The Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls" is as much about the content of the Dead Sea Scrolls as the history of their re-discovery in the 20th century and the scholarship that has since followed.  Hershel Shanks delves into what the scrolls say, paying particularly attention to those that aren't part of the Hebrew or Christian Bibles and that reveal previously unknown details about the lives and conduct of the sect at Qumran.  He also explores the political and social relationships between the early scholars working to decipher the scrolls, and how they often hindered rather than helped scholarship on the topic, making this a good read for those interested in how knowledge and our ideas about history are constructed.
Submitted By
Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
Department or Major
Leatherby Libraries
Status
Staff

Persepolis



Title
Persepolis
Author
Marjane Satrapi
Call Number
PN6747.s245 p4713 2003
Location
1st Floor Graphic Novel
Rating
Recommended
Book Review
Both Heart-wrenching in humorous, PERSEPOLIS is an autobiographical graphic novel detailing the political climate of Iran during the author’s childhood. Satrapi manages to capture the transformation from all-knowing child to uncertain young woman with irreverent honesty. The book ends abruptly, but continues on in a second graphic novel later on.
Submitted By
Shaina Phillips
Department or Major
Leatherby Libraries
Status
Staff

Laika



Title
Laika
Author
Nick Abadzis
Call Number
PN6737.A24 L35 2007
Location
1st Floor Graphic Novel
Rating
Highly Recommended
Book Review
Exploring the life and death of one of the most famous dogs in history, LAIKA presents a simple question: was the technological knowledge gained after the launch of Sputnik II worth the loss a dog like Kudryavka? Abadzis presents the facts with a detached kind of compassion, knitting together disparate narratives with the unifying thread of Kudryavka’s story. Thoroughly researched, LAIKA gives an intimate look at the people surrounding an event that would ultimately change the world. This is a must-read for anyone who’s interested in the history of spaceflight.
Submitted By
Shaina Phillips
Department or Major
Leatherby Libraries
Status
Staff

Being Dead



Title
Being Dead
Author
Jim Crace
Call Number
PR6053 .R228 B45 2000
Location
2nd Floor Humanities
Rating
Highly Recommended
Book Review
The main characters in Crace’s novel are dead from page one, murdered and left spread-eagled behind a sand dune, the husband’s hand barely touching his wife’s calf. The novel is a vivid exploration of death in all of its ugliness and beauty. As the lovers are scavenged and begin the harrowing process of decay, Crace weaves in the story of their life. This is a book that does not shy away from the process of death; indeed, the grotesquerie is overt, and the reader is asked to peek beneath the sheet at the real face of senseless death.
Submitted By
Lugene Rosen
Department or Major
Leatherby LIbraries
Status
Staff

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail



Title
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Author
Cheryl Strayed
Call Number
PS3619. T744 Z46 2013
Location
2nd Floor Humanities
Rating
Recommended
Book Review
I approached Strayed’s memoir with great expectations that were met for the most part. Since I am familiar with the High Sierras, it struck a chord with me when she describes the terrain. That said, there were parts of the book where I felt as disconnected from the narrator as the narrator felt from herself. It’s a quick read that skims the surface of grief recovery without truly delving into the depths.
Submitted By
Lugene Rosen
Department or Major
Leatherby Libraries
Status
Staff