Genre Starter List: Biographies

Welcome back to another installment of the Genre Starter List series! Biographies tell the story of a significant person’s life. There are a lot of fascinating individuals whose life stories you can read, and we have several here in the library! Here are some biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs that you can get from the Logos. 

*All descriptions written by Darius Mullin. 

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin 

The landmark biography of the “father of the atomic bomb,” J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster film, Oppenheimer.  

All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore 

Christian author and founder of Living Proof Ministries Beth Moore tells edifying and encouraging stories from her own life in this recent memoir.  

What to Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley and Ed Fotheringham 

“I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both!” –Theodore Roosevelt 

This fun picture book tells of the exploits of President Theodore Roosevelt’s bold and adventurous daughter, Alice. This book is also part of our currently ongoing March Book Madness 2024! 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson  

Bryan Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based non-profit organization that provides good legal representation to the people who need it most and otherwise wouldn’t get it. In Just Mercy, Stevenson pairs data with anecdotes from his early years as a lawyer to paint a moving picture. 

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, John L Sherrill, and Elizabeth Sherrill 

The incredible autobiographical story of Corrie ten Boom’s experience hiding Jews from Nazis during the Holocaust and the German occupation of Holland. 

Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker 

Tony Dungy is a Christian, former NFL player, and head coach, whose leadership style took the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI and led Dungy to become the first black head coach to win the big game. In Quiet Strength, Dungy tells stories from his life and reveals the principles that accompanied him along the way.  

The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder 

The classic Little House series includes eight autobiographical children’s novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder, an American pioneer who grew up in the latter half of the 19^th century. Farmer Boy, the only of these books about the childhood of Almonzo Wilder (Laura’s future husband), is currently a part of March Book Madness 2024! 

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly 

“The untold story of the Black women mathematicians who helped win the space race.” The basis for a major motion picture, Hidden Figures recounts the exciting stories of the “human computers” who helped overcome discrimination to help America get to the moon. 

Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson 

The shocking tale of Dmitri Shostakovich, a composer who endured one of the most brutal sieges of human history: the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II. Shostakovich would go on to write the “Leningrad Symphony,” a work that simultaneously encouraged and eulogized his fellow citizens.  

Autobiography of Mark Twain 

The great American humorist and storyteller tells his own story in his own words, published posthumously so that he could really speak his mind. “You will never know how much enjoyment you have lost until you get to dictating your autobiography,” Twain told a friend.  

Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder 

Tyler Feder will have you laughing at one page and crying at the next in this memoir about the author’s mom who, well, died. The graphic novel format makes this a surprisingly impactful work.  

Choosing Brave by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington 

This 2022 book tells the story of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy who was brutally murdered in 1955, and Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett’s mother, who was the catalyst for her son’s wrongful death to become a rallying point for the civil rights movement.  

Against All Odds by Travis “Thi’sl” Tyler 

Rapper, label founder, and motivational speaker Thi’sl—a former gang member and drug dealer before becoming a Christian—tells his life story in this gripping autobiography. 

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller 

Everyone has heard of Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at the young age of 19 months. Here, you can read about Keller’s remarkable life in her own words.  

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 

The American founding father tells his own story in this short, fascinating autobiography.  

Darius Mullin’s reviews reflect his personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university. 

My Year in Books: Amber

The Library’s Social Media Team loves to read. Cliché, right? So, we want to share some of our favorite books we have read in 2022. Several of us also did a GoodReads Challenge, and you can check out our reading habits there. This series will highlight the Social Media Team’s year in books. You might want to read some of our recommendations or join a GoodReads Challenge of your own in 2023.

Without further ado, I will share my year in books. My reading tastes tend to gravitate toward Young Adult, Middle Grade, and historical fiction. However, you might also see some professional reading on my GoodReads list. I will also say the Library’s Staff Book Club helps me branch out to other genres as well.

As of December 21, I read 76 books and 16, 423 pages. My shortest book was A Boy Named Isamu which was 31 pages. The longest book I read was A Court of Silver Flames which was over 700 pages. You can see all the books I read on my GoodReads page. My number of books was up from last year, so my goal for 2023 will be to read more than 76 books. Let’s say 77, just to be on the safe side.

It is hard to pick only 5 favorite books, but I’ll try. My favorite books in no specific order were…

Starfish by Lisa Fipps: This was actually the first book I read in 2022 based on a recommendation by Melissa, the Library Director. Starfish is a verse novel about a middle school girl in Dallas who is overweight. This novel tugged at my heartstrings for more than one reason. First, she lives in Texas, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit homesick for my home state. Second, Ellie, the main character, is so real and honest in how she is struggling. She struggles with the typical middle school things like friendship, but she also struggles with her weight and a mother who is constantly judging her for it. I appreciated the way Fipps’ handles the bullying by emphasizing you can respond to others in a better way than how they are treating you. Fipps’ also shows that sometimes bullies are bullying because they are trying to feel better about themselves. The verse novel format makes for a quick but powerful read.

Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney: Whitney walks through how to pray using the Psalms. So many books like this make praying Scripture seem daunting, but Whitney makes it accessible. He outlines simple steps for using the Psalms as a guide for your prayer. He also made prayer struggles relatable; we all struggle with prayer sometimes. It is easy to get distracted while we pray. However, Whitney showed how using each verse in a Psalm can keep us on track. Each day you can pick a Psalm but use the calendar to help you pick rather than randomly trying to find one; so, on January 1, pray Psalm 1. His writing style and steps for praying the Bible made me feel confident that I could do it.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom: I recommended this a couple months ago after book club, so this is a short recommendation. Ten Boom both encouraged and convicted me in her biography about her time during World War II. She had faith to trust God to provide for her in such a hard and tragic time. However, she was also honest in admitting where she doubted as well. Her stories of the miracles of God brought a different perspective to World War II that we don’t often see in novels about this time.

Captain Skidmark Dances with Destiny by Jennifer Irwin: This one didn’t make it to my GoodReads list because it isn’t going to be out until April 2023. I received the advanced reader copy from School Library Journal Day of Dialog and I really enjoyed it. The title made me a little nervous, but after reading it I can say it is a fitting title. Will is an 8^th grader who doesn’t fit in, especially not on the hockey rink. When he stumbles into a dance class and finds he really enjoys it, he must decide what to do. Irwin fills this novel with funny but embarrassing moments that actually made me chuckle. I would recommend this to those middle school boys who are reluctant readers.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll: This was an award-winning book and deservingly so. McNicoll writes about a neurodivergent girl who decides to fight for the witches that were burned at the stake in her small Scottish town for being different. McNicoll showed how autistic people struggle in typical classrooms and situations not because something is wrong, but because their processing is different. I enjoyed the way McNicoll incorporated witch trials into current times and how people who are different, although not burned at the stake, are often treated as outcasts. The writing style provided new and authentic perspective on how an autistic person interacts with the world.

Happy Reading!

Amber Wessies’ reviews reflect her personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university.

Library Staff Book Club: Your Choice

For this month’s library staff book club meeting, we decided to take a break from what we normally do and have everyone read a book of their choice. Book club members shared the books they read and their general thoughts and feelings about it. Check out the books they read below and feel free to add any to your “To Be Read” list!

Sarah Blevins, Circulation Associate: I read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. This isn’t my usual type of read, but I’m still glad I read it in an effort to branch out. I liked the dynamic between the two sisters, even though their relationship became strained in some parts of the novel. It was also interesting to read a book from the point of view of women in continental Europe during World War II. Content warning: the book does deal with a lot of heavy themes and includes some scenes of violence and assault.  

Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager: I read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. If you’re looking for a feel-good story, this may be the book for you. It is broken into four shorter stories within the longer story. Despereaux is smaller than the average mouse, but the size of his heart makes up the difference. He shows bravery and kindness, despite the difficulties in his life. Throughout the story, it speaks to you as the reader, and it encourages you to focus on and look for the light in your life. This was one of those books that filled me with joy and helped me remember the power of a story. There were a couple of characters that I hoped would have a few more good things happen to them, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. 

Esperanza Gonzalez, Director of Disability Services, Student Life: I read The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life by Robin Sharma. It’s a fiction story about 4 main characters who learn the secrets to success through good habits. The book teaches us that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things once we create a routine of building good habits and getting out of our comfort zone. Human beings embrace comfort, so getting out of the comfort zone by becoming an early riser is a good way to begin building extraordinarily good habits. “Everyone dreams of being a legend until it comes time to do the work that legends do.”

*Students, faculty, and staff can get The 5AM Club through Interlibrary Loan.

Sara Hand, Circulation Associate and Administrative Secretary: I read Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. It’s a stand-alone young adult fantasy novel about a 16-year-old girl named Elisabeth who has grown up as an orphan in one of the Great Libraries of Austermeer. The libraries contain the tools of sorcery, such as grimoires that speak and have unique personalities. Elisabeth has been taught her whole life that sorcery is dangerous, and she should stay away from it. But when the library where she lives is attacked by a sorcerer, she must reluctantly partner with another sorcerer named Nathaniel Thorn, and his demon servant to save the other Great Libraries of Austermeer. Sorcery of Thorns is full of humor, action, and a smattering of romance. Parts of it reminded me of Harry Potter, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast.

Melissa Moore, Library Director: I read two books…

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

12-year-old Olive Martin has been homeschooled her whole life in Wildwood, Tennessee, which has allowed her to pursue her love of birding, writing poetry and plays, spending time with her eclectic family, and healing when needed – for Olive has osteogenesis imperfecta (aka brittle bone disease) and spends most of her time in a wheelchair. But she doesn’t want OI to define her, and she really, really wants to go to Macklemore Middle School and find her BFF. Successfully convincing her parents to let her try middle school, Olive quickly enters the ups and downs of 6^th grade, makes a few friends, discovers the theater, and gets caught up in the excitement around the legend of The Hummingbird, which really becomes the center of the novel. The magical hummingbird is supposed to return to Wildwood on May Day, and those it chooses will have their wish granted if they can figure out the riddle. Humming with magic and wonder, this novel is beautiful and honest, exploring themes of friendship, self-discovery, and confronting one’s fears. Just stellar.

The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat and Joanna Cacao

Christina has started middle school (7^th grade), and while she has her friend Megan to hang with at lunch and every weekend, she feels the stress of adjustment. She is aware of her father’s Thai heritage and deals with some bullying from classmates related to her ethnicity. Everyone seems to be into sports, so she and Megan decide to try out for the cheerleading squad. But what if only one of them makes the squad? Will it ruin their friendship? This heartfelt graphic novel gets everything right – new friends, social stressors, the thrill of competition, and the reality of life – while avoiding easy answers. This graphic novel is rooted in the author’s (A Wish in the Dark, All Thirteen) own experiences in Texas as a middle schooler. I am not a huge fan of graphic novels, but this one is spot on.

Darius Mullin, Evening Circulation Supervisor: I read Rembrandt is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey. 

Rembrandt is in the Wind is a series of art history essays written by a pastor whose storytelling and thoughts on art, community, and the artistic process are extremely engaging. The publisher describes the book as “part art history, part biblical study, part philosophy, and part analysis of the human experience; but it’s all story.” I had heard a few lectures by Russ Ramsey on The Hutchmoot Podcast that were fantastic, so when I found out he was writing a whole book I knew I would want to read it. I wasn’t disappointed. Ramsey’s writing is not only great storytelling and art history, but also prompts the reader to think more deeply on the importance of beauty, the ways God works in the lives of believers, the role of community, brokenness, calling, relationships, technological innovation, and even race. The titular chapter is a good example of Ramsey’s storytelling prowess, weaving together Rembrandt’s The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, the biblical account of that storm, a Boston art museum and its founder, the story of the widow of Nain, and an unsolved art heist into a moving and thought-provoking commentary on the nature of this broken world.

Because Rembrandt is in the Wind is written as a series of roughly chronological essays, a reader could plausibly jump in with whichever chapter sounds most interesting to them (although I would certainly recommend reading the book in its entirety). The book also includes several full-color prints of the pieces being discussed, as well as helpful appendices such as “How to Visit an Art Museum” and “How to Look at a Work of Art.” As someone who has long been wanting to appreciate visual art more deeply, I enjoyed this book immensely. Perhaps you will too!

Micah Rhodes, Cataloging Associate: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin is a familiar yet refreshing telling of a coming-of-age hero’s journey. Whereas many of these stories are set in a great conflict of good-versus-evil, A Wizard of Earthsea takes a more introspective, intimate approach. The protagonist, Ged, is a young man with a particular affinity for the magical arts. While studying to become a great wizard, he attempts to demonstrate his ability to a rival but ends up unleashing a dark entity that proceeds to pursue him. Ged must reclaim his confidence and his honor by finding a way to dispel this dark specter. His travels take him across a fantastic world of isolated islands, oceanic travel, and a defined magic system more akin to the Taoist-inspired Force in Star Wars than the whimsy of Harry Potter. I found A Wizard of Earthsea to be a thoughtful, wholesome, and quick read, suited to any age.

Amber Wessies, Instruction Librarian: I read two books…

 The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

I don’t think I have a negative thing to say about this book. The Hiding Place is the biography of Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who helped Jews during WWII. The book starts when she was a child and follows her through her experiences in concentration camps until after her release. Corrie and her sister, Betsy’s, faith is so encouraging and convicting. They trusted and praised God even in the horrible conditions. They were thankful for every little thing, including fleas, and they continually shared the gospel with the other prisoners during their time.

 The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

This book is about Lia Lee, a Hmong girl with epilepsy, and the experiences her parents had with Western medicine. The parents feel the doctors are making Lia worse by giving her too much medicine and the doctors think the parents are making her worse by not giving her the medicine as prescribed. Lia’s life is an example of cultural differences and the need to understand differences in order to be successful. Fadiman also weaves in the history of the Hmong people that is most likely not widely known.