Reading List: Authors with November Birthdays

It’s hard to believe 2023 is almost over and the fall semester is coming to a close. We have enjoyed celebrating author birthdays with you all. We would love to hear your thoughts on our Author Birthday Read Aloud series. Did you find out you share a birthday with an author? Did you discover a new author to read?

Well, the year is not quite over yet and there are still some great authors to celebrate. So, join me as we celebrate authors with birthdays in November.     

Susanna Clarke born November 1is best known for her award-winning books, Piranesi and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. She is also responsible for writing short stories in the Strange universe.

M.T. Anderson is an American fiction and nonfiction writer for all ages and was born November 4. Anderson has written award-winning books like Feed, Octavian Nothing, and the Pals in Peril series.

Bram Stoker was born November 8, 1847. He is most known for his haunting novel, Dracula. His other works include The Snake’s Pass, The Lady of the Shroud,and Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving.

Neil Gaiman is an English author born on November 10, 1960. His works include books like The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Coraline, and Don’t Panic: The Official Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Companion.

Fyodor Dostoevsky was a Russian novelist born on November 11, 1821. You may recognize him as the author of Crime and Punishment. He also wrote novels like The Grand Inquisitor, The Gambler, and The Possessed.

Melissa helped us celebrate Robert Louis Stevenson on November 13, by reading a couple of poems from A Child’s Garden of Verses. Stevenson is known for his many collections of poetry.

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian poet and novelist born on November 16. Achebe is the author of one of the most widely translated African novels, Things Fall Apart.  He also wrote No Longer at Ease and numerous essays and short stories.

Christopher Paolini was born November 17, 1983. He is most known for his series The Inheritance Cycle which he began working on at age 15. He continues to publish books with some of his recent titles including To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and Murtagh.

Margaret Atwood was born on November 18, 1939. Atwood is known for writing The Handmaid’s Tale which has become a popular television show.  She also wrote Hag-Seed, a Shakespeare retelling, and The Edible Woman.

Ruta Sepetys was born on November 19. You may know her for The Fountains of Silence. Sepetys has also written Salt to the Sea,  I Must Betray You, and Between Shades of Gray.

As one of Jeannie’s favorite authors, she helped us honor George Eliot’s birthday on November 22 by reading from Middlemarch. Eliot also wrote Adam Bede,  Silas Marner, Daniel Deronda, and many others.

Children’s author and illustrator, Kevin Henkes was born on November 27. You might recognize Henkes’ works like Olive’s Ocean, Owen, and Chrysanthemum.

C.S. Lewis also shares a November birthday of November 29. Savannah helped us celebrate this well-known author by reading from The Chronicles of Narnia series. Lewis is the author of many other books including Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, The Screwtape Letters, and A Grief Observed.

Two well-known authors, Louisa May Alcott and Madeleine L’Engle, will wrap up our November celebrations with their birthdays on November 29. Alcott is the author of Little Women, A Long Fatal Love Chase, and Jo’s Boys. L’Engle is the author of A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and The Polly O’Keefe Quartet.

We hope you enjoyed celebrating authors born in November. Check back next month for December birthdays!

March Book Madness 2022: Week 1

Union University’s Library at the Logos welcomes you to this presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2022. Each week will feature our selection from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. Then, during the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. You, our readers, will determine which book will make it through the Final Four to become our first March Book Madness Champion!  

Micah: Welcome, everyone, to our first inaugural March Book Madness competition! I’m Micah Rhodes, and I’ll be one of your commentators for this week, alongside Rachel Bloomingburg. We will take you through our first two genres and the books that go with them. Rachel, what do we have today? 

Rachel: Fantasy and Science Fiction are up first! Fantasy has magical elements and is typically set in another land. Science Fiction often takes place in the future and usually has a technological component. 

Micah: These are some of my favorite genres to read. Why don’t you start us off with a rundown of our fantasy contestants? 

Rachel: Sure! Our first book is Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. Elisabeth is an apprentice librarian that’s grown up in one of the Great Libraries of Austermeer. She dreams of becoming a warden where she can help protect the kingdom from magical grimoires. Grimoires can seem harmless, but once provoked, they transform into monsters of ink and leather. One day, someone unleashes the most dangerous one. Elisabeth ends up being accused of the crime. She has no choice but to turn to Nathaniel Thorn, a sorcerer, for help. She’s always been taught that sorcerers are evil; however, the more she gets to know Nathaniel, the more she questions what she’s been taught. See what happens as Elisabeth learns more about herself, the people she can trust, and the libraries that she loves.  

Micah: Some fascinating stuff in there! What book will Sorcery of Thorns be facing in the first round? 

Rachel: Next up is Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Living in Wonderland and marrying the king is what all girls want, right? Not Catherine. She is a talented baker and desires to do more with her life. Her mother expects her to accept the king’s proposal at the next royal ball, but neither predicted that handsome and mysterious Jest would enter the picture. Catherine and Jest enter a secret courtship, but in a land full of wonder, things don’t always go according to plan. You may think you know what happened in Wonderland, but Catherine’s story may prove otherwise. 

Micah: Sounds like a winning combination of intrigue and romance! Which do you think will end up on top? 

Rachel: They’re both strong contenders, but I think Sorcery of Thorns’ originality will help it to stand out. Why don’t you introduce us to our sci-fi contestants?  

Micah: One of our science fiction competitors is Andy Weir’s breakout novel, The Martian. In the book, astronaut Mark Watney is accidentally left behind on Mars when his research team must perform an emergency evacuation. The novel follows Watney’s journal entries as he attempts to survive alone on the inhospitable planet, figuring out how to solve all manner of problems from conserving food to contacting Earth without long-range communications equipment. Though the stakes are high, and time is ticking, Mark’s unique brand of humor and pragmatic approach to problem-solving keeps the novel’s tone light and extremely entertaining. 

Rachel: Wow. That’s a lot to handle. Sounds like the type of person you’d want up when the game is on the line. What book will The Martian be going up against?  

Micah: Our other sci-fi entrant is To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, by Christopher Paolini. Paolini is well known for his dragon-rider epic fantasy novel, Eragon, and he brings all his world-building expertise to the genre of science fiction. Kira Navárez, the protagonist, is a xenobiologist who wants nothing more than to settle down with her fiancé in a new planetary colony. However, disaster strikes, war erupts, and Kira’s life is upended when she discovers an ancient alien artifact. Paolini interweaves Kira’s story with fascinating technology, unique aliens, and the perplexing paradox of faster-than-light travel to create a gripping yet thoughtful narrative. 

Rachel: Another unique and intense combination. Which one do you think will end up on top?  

Micah: It’s a hard call; Paolini’s pedigree is impressive and evident in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, but I think the broad appeal and accessibility of The Martian will give it the win. 

Rachel: Well, folks, that’s all we have time for today! After meeting our first four competitors, which one do you think has the best chance of making the final four? Be ready to vote for your favorite and follow us down to the last page of March Book Madness.