Community of Readers

Title Little Lord Fauntleroy Author Frances Hodgson Burnett Call Number other Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review A young boy learns he is to be an earl and and is brought back from America to fulfill his duties in England. He is extremely kind, likable and friendly and knows nothing of his dead father's break from the family and long standing estrangement. He takes well to his new home and learns all about his grandfather's tenants and decides to help them all given his new found wealth and credits his curmudgeonly relative, changing the attitudes of the tenant farmers toward the current Earl. Although quickly resolved by friends and a lawyer, his new found position was challenged by an imposter, but all he could hope for was his continued friendship with his grandfather, which made him even more likable. This English author at age 16 moved to America wrote stories to help her bankrupt family. The story was published and dramatized during her lifetime and she went on to become a famous children's book author, writing The Secret Garden in 1911. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major law Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Yesteryear Author Caro Claire Burke Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review I know some readers did not like the twist at the end, but I really enjoyed this book! A tradwife influencer wakes up one morning and she is back in 1855, so she must live out the life she advertised on social media. She is also our narrator and is as unreliable as they come. We jump between her influencer origin story and 1855, which worked well for the book. It was ridiculous and I couldn't put it down. Submitted By Amy Telarico Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email telarico@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers

Title To Kill a Mockingbird Author Harper Lee Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review So. Dang. Good. Highly recommend the audiobook read by Sissy Spacek (although you might pick up a Southern twang while listening!) There's a reason this won the Pulitzer Prize and frequently tops "must read before you die" booklists. This coming of age story takes place during the Great Depression in rural Alabama and touches on themes of racism, justice and humanity. Just finished and I want to read it again -- it's that good. Submitted By Ashley Bloomfield Department or Major Holocaust Library Status Staff Chapman Email ambloom@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Five Author Ilona Bannister Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review There are five people waiting for a train to London, but by the time it arrives, one of them will be dead. The book explores the lives of each person before revealing who dies. The narrator then forces you to consider who you believe "deserves" to live and die. It was done thoughtfully and was a fast, enjoyable read. Submitted By Amy Telarico Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email telarico@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers

Title $ Sons Author David Gilbert Call Number other Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review Wonderful and complicated. Messy family dynamics, estranged sons and fathers. Story takes place in NY - fun if you've visited, lots of known spots mentioned in the story. Told first person, the neighbor's son. His dealing with the Dyer family through the years. Lots of foul language, multiple bedroom scenes, drug use, prep school privilege, and accidental death. This story will come out as a movie in the fall starring Bill Nighy as A.N. Dyer. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers

Title Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves Author Sophie Gilbert Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Somewhat Recommended Book Review This novel focuses on a variety of pop culture from the 90s to the present and the negative impacts it has had on women and the feminist movement. This book is a collection of examples and a historical outline, rather than a deep critical analysis. It's a good introduction to pop culture in the feminist movement. Still, if you are a millennial, you are (hopefully) aware of the impact these moments had on you, your peers, and society as a whole. Submitted By Caylin Schmenk Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email schmenk@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Good People Author Patmeena Sabit Call Number NA [read Orange Public Library copy] Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review An enjoyable novel including immigration experiences [Afghanistan -> Virginia], cultural difference, parents and children, crime (perhaps] and justice, a death, and the role of time, place, and circumstance in who are perceived as "good people" and who are not.  Author Sabit is herself an immigrant, and invites readers to fill in the many blanks, then to wonder if they have been overly hasty. Submitted By Art Blaser Department or Major Peace Studies/Political Science Status Community Member Chapman Email blaser@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Time's Echo: Music, Memory, and the Second World War Author Jeremy Eichler Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review "Time's Echo" is a cultural and public historical (and archival) examination of WWII and the Holocaust from the perspective of writers and early 20th-century classical composers, mostly the latter. It's a critical look into the "living memory" of those events through the musical lens of famous works by Arnold Schoenberg, Richard Strauss, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Benjamin Britten -- all shaped by their experiences. The book is a great example of how music is a narrative of the past. Submitted By Carl Privette Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email privette@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Alchemised Author SenLinYu Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review Broke my heart and left me staring at the wall for an hour after I finished it. Very long and a big commitment, but the story is so worth it. There's some romance, but it mainly focused on the horrors of war. Many heavy themes so read the disclaimer and warnings before picking it up if you might be sensitive to that. 5/5 Submitted By Amanda Snow Department or Major Business College Status Staff Chapman Email hasnow@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title The Unicorn Hunters Author Katherine Arden Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review This book re-imagines Anne of Brittany's story in a reality where faeries are real. I've read and enjoyed Arden's books before, and the writing does have a dreamy quality. No unicorns were harmed in the reading of this book. Submitted By Amy Telarico Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email telarico@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Paradise Lost Author John Milton Call Number n/a Location Other Rating Somewhat Recommended Book Review This book is a classic for a reason, and some of the lines absolutely sing. It was interesting to read. But it is possibly the most misogynistic book I have ever read. Submitted By Laura Neis Department or Major Business College Status Staff Chapman Email lneis@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers Title Atmosphere A Love Story Author Taylor Jenkins Reid Call Number other Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review An excellent story full of deeply complex people. It takes place in 1980s NASA Space Shuttle program. The author keeps it real with historic events. After successful training, these women were to become some of the first female astronauts. This story centers around the  romance between Joan and Vanessa, working to break through the mail-dominated  program and must also keep their romance a secret. The double standard is quite apparent. Loved all the space talk, and the romance was beautifully written. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Community of Readers

Title Star Wars: Invincible Author Troy Denning Call Number N/A Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review Book 9 of 9 of the series. Overall impression of the series: recommended. Of the 3 authors who wrote the series, Denning's books were the most impactful, contained less fluff and exposition, and advanced the overarching plot, including this book series finale. Between this series and Disney's sequel trilogy (Episodes 7-9), I unequivocally, 100% choose the former, because the film trilogy is essentially a VERY lackluster adaptation of the book series. And honestly, in hindsight, Disney didn't really do a good job hiding that they took the idea and character arcs from this book series. (I can go on, but I'm over the character limit.) Submitted By Carl Privette Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email privette@chapman.edu