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. 

March Book Madness 2024: Week 2

Announcer: We are ready for Week 2 of March Book Madness 2024. You were introduced to our Mystery and Realistic Fiction genres last week, but now it’s time to move in a different direction. Rachel and Darius will be presenting their selections for Historical Fiction and Biography/Memoir. Rachel is up first with Historical Fiction. Rachel, can you introduce yourself, tell us some about your genre, and give the readers some information about your classic pick?

Rachel: Hi. Yes, I’m Rachel, the Circulation Manager of the Logos, and I’m excited to help introduce this next genre. Historical Fiction is a genre that I read a lot, and simply put, it is a fictional story based during a specific time period or event that took place in the past.  While reading, you must be careful not to mix fact with fiction, though.

Without further ado, my classic pick is Meet Felicity by Valerie Tripp. It is the first book in the American Girl series based in Colonial Williamsburg and is set around the time of the Revolutionary War. Felicity is nine years old. In this book, she falls in love with a beautiful horse named Penny and seeks to save her from her cruel owner. The series continues with five more books, and you will see Felicity learn to manage some difficult choices as she grows up.  This is a series that I owned growing up, and I even had the doll to go along with it. Felicity having a similar hair color to mine has always been something I’ve loved about her.

Announcer: American Girls are a true classic in my eyes. I love that we have so many of the originals in our collection. What is your contemporary pick?

Rachel: My contemporary pick is a book that I often recommend, and it is The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Ada, a young girl with a twisted foot, lives in London during World War II. Her mother has often verbally abused her and doesn’t see her worth. When the opportunity arises for the children to be taken to safety in the countryside, Ada’s mother only wants to send her younger brother, Jamie, because she doesn’t think anyone would want to take her with her disability. Ada sneaks away with Jamie, and they end up being placed with a woman named Susan Smith. The story that follows is one that you don’t want to miss.

Announcer: I like that both selections are based around different wars. Which of the two do you think will advance?

Rachel: This is a tough one for me because I love them both. However, I think Meet Felicity being part of a series will help it to advance.

Announcer: Thank you, Rachel. We’ll move now to Darius with the Biography/Memoir genre. Darius, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell us some about your genre, as well as your classic pick?

Darius: I’m Darius, the Evening Circulation Supervisor here at the Union University Library. I’m excited to have the chance to comment on my third March Book Madness! The genre I get to introduce to you today is Biography/Memoir: simply put, these are stories from a person’s life. A biography (or self-written autobiography) aims to tell the story of a person’s life, while memoirs are specific memories from maybe only a portion of a person’s life. Biographies and memoirs are similar enough that we’ve combined them into one category for our purposes.

The classic pick for this category is Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House series. This book is a bit of an outlier in the author’s work, since it’s not about herself, but instead the boy who would become her husband: Almanzo Wilder. I remember my dad reading this one out loud to me when I was probably about the same age as the main character!

Announcer: Sounds like a great pick. What is your contemporary selection? Could you tell us about it and your predicted winner?

Darius: The Biography/Memoir contemporary pick is What to do about Alice? by Barbara Kerley and Ed Fotheringham. This book is a Sibert Honor Book and tells the exciting story of Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice. We featured it in a What to Read Wednesday last year!

Even though it’s a great one, I think Farmer Boy is more likely to advance into the Elite Eight this year. I think there are probably many readers who, like me, grew up with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s work.

Announcer: We’ll see if either of these predictions hold true when our voting begins in March. Tune in next week for Round 3!

Reading List: Authors with May Birthdays

As a May baby myself, I am excited to share this month’s author birthday read-alouds. You can find our Author Birthday Read Aloud series on Instagram, where we read a portion of an author’s work during their birth month. This list highlights some other authors who also have birthdays in the month of May. By the way, May is a very popular birth month for the library staff with 5 team members having birthdays. With so many May birthdays, we are also including our May babies’ favorite books on the list too. Happy reading!

Library May Birthday Recommendations:

Beth (Collection Development Coordinator) said her favorite book is The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.

Stephen’s (Systems Librarian) favorite book is The Great Gatsby.

Sara (Administrative Assistant and Circulation Associate) gave her favorite classic, Gone with the Wind, and her new favorite, the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber.

My favorite (Amber, Instruction Librarian) books are Little House on the Prairie or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Both books were read by my elementary school teachers and have special memories for me.

Darius (Evening Circulation Manager) doesn’t have a favorite book besides the Bible, but he did recommend The 100 Cupboards series by N. D. Wilson as one of his favorites.

Author Birthdays:

May 5, 1813, brought the birth of Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish theologian, poet, and social critic. Many also say he was the first existentialist philosopher. Kierkegaard is known by many for his philosophy, but you might want to check out some of his written works like Fear and Trembling, Either/Or, and Repetition.

You can celebrate Christopher Paul Curtis on May 10 by reading one of his beloved children’s novels like the award-winning Bud, Not Buddy or The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Curtis continues to write today, so you might want to try one of his newer books like The Journey of Little Charlie, which is part of the Buxton series.

Sara highlighted Daphne du Maurier who was born on May 13, 1907, on our Instagram. She is well known for her novel, Rebecca, which has been the basis for a few movies. Other works by du Maurier include Jamaica Inn and The House on Strand.

Eoin Colfer was born on May 14, 1965. This Irish author is best known for his Artemis Fowl series. And in case you were curious, his first name is pronounced like Owen.

Although best known for The Wizard of Oz, children’s author L. Frank Baum wrote fifty-five children’s books and celebrated his birthday on May 15.

Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939, and shares a birthday with Beth, our Collection Development Coordinator. Paulsen has written more than 200 books; some of his best-known books are Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room.

Max Brooks was born on May 22, 1972, and is most known for helping to bring zombies into mainstream culture. Brooks is best known for his books World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide.

Finishing up our list of May Author Birthdays is Andrew Clements. Clements was born on May 29, 1949. He is known for Frindle, a book I remember reading in school. He also wrote popular novels like About Average, Things Not Seen, and Lunch Money.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s May birthday recommendations. Tune in next month as we celebrate more author birthdays in June.

Reading List: Authors with February Birthdays

February may be our shortest month, but we still had several authors to choose from as we continued with our Author Birthday Read Aloud Series. This blog will include the ones featured on the library’s Instagram, plus a few others.

Langston Hughes was born on February 1^st, 1901. I (Rachel) read three poems from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. Over 800 poems are featured in this book, and they’re written over a span of five decades.

Laura Ingalls Wilder was born on February 7^th, 1867. Amber read a portion of On the Banks of Plum Creek, but we have several other titles written by her in our collection.

Jules Verne was born on February 8^th, 1828. Darius read a portion from  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. If you like this book, you may also enjoy Daughter of the Deep, which drew inspiration from Verne’s classic tale and was written by Rick Riordan.

Jacqueline Woodson was born on February 12^th, 1963. She mostly writes for children and adolescents, but adults can also enjoy and learn from her works. Some of her titles we have here are as follows: Brown Girl Dreaming, The Year We Learned to Fly, and Red at the Bone.

Marissa Meyer was born on February 19^th, 1984. She is best known for her retelling of various fairytales. If you enjoy Little Red Riding Hood, I recommend reading Scarlet, which is part of her Lunar Chronicles series. If origin stories are what you’re in the mood for, I recommend Heartless. This delves into the world of Alice in Wonderland where we meet the girl that eventually becomes The Queen of Hearts. One of her most recent releases is Gilded and that gives us a story inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. It was one of my favorite books that I read in 2022. If you have interest in reading a little more, I give a brief description in this blog.

Last, but certainly not least, is W.E.B. Du Bois. He was born on February 23^rd, 1868. While he is well known as the first Black American to earn a PhD from Harvard University, he is also credited for his work on sociology, history, and civil rights activism. Du Bois on Religion and The Social Theory of W.E.B. Du Bois are two of his works that we have in the Logos.

Which of these authors and titles have you heard of? Which ones do you think you’ll add to your TBR list? Hope you join us again next month as we feature authors that were born in the month of March.

Reading List: National Library Week 2022

Each year in April, we celebrate National Library Week. This year’s theme is “Connect with Your Library.” Libraries are great places to study, read, or meet up with friends. Libraries also have resources and services like research help, books, online articles, internet, and technology that connect people to each other and information. We would like you to connect with some of the people who work here in the Logos. We love libraries and want to share that with you.  

What do you like about the Logos and libraries? 

“Libraries are useful because they make readily available any information you might want to know.” ~Stephen Mount, Systems Librarian 

“I love the Logos because it is full of people – students mostly, but lots of faculty, staff, alumni, guests, visitors. The books and other materials are incredible resources, but the Logos reminds us that interactions with others about these books and other resources is the best education.” ~Dr. Dub Oliver, President of Union University 

“I love reading and all the learning that happens through books and at libraries.” ~Amber Wessies, Instruction Librarian 

“I like the generally quiet atmosphere. To be surrounded by shelves of books just waiting to be read makes me happy.” ~Jeannie Byrd, Technical Services Librarian 

“I like libraries because they give you a chance to build community. Plus, all the books!” ~Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager 

“I love the Logos because I worked in Union’s Library in the PAC for almost 25 years, wanting a beautiful space conducive for serious thought that matched the excellence of the service and collection in the old space. Now we have it!” ~ Melissa Moore, Library Director 

“I like libraries because they are a storehouse of information and a place of discovery.” ~Paul Sorrell, Creative Projects Manager 

“I love the way libraries foster community among those engaging in intellectual pursuits of all kinds and from many different walks of life!” ~ Darius Mullin, Evening Circulation Manager 

“The books available to read!” ~Savannah Patterson, Public Services Librarian 

“Libraries are important because of the many resources they offer communities, such as the information found in academic literature, access to technology, or even simply books for leisure reading. I especially appreciate the Logos for its role in providing these resources to our students and cultivating a space for study and collaboration.” ~Micah Rhodes, Cataloging Associate 

“I love the quiet atmosphere that is conducive for reading good books. Bonding with another person over a shared interest in a book always thrills me too.” ~ Sara Hand, Circulation Associate and Administrative Assistant 

“I have always loved books and libraries. As a child I read children’s fairy tales and Nancy Drew.” ~ Susan Kriaski, Cataloging Associate 

“Libraries are such a power source of information and essential! Our library offers such a wealth of resources including our staff, our wonderful facility, and our valuable resources. We are a vital part in the education of our Union students, preparing them for their chosen career paths.” ~ Beth Lynn, Collection Development Manager 

What is your favorite book? 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald~ Stephen Mount 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis ~Dr. Dub 

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder ~ Amber Wessies 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ~Jeannie Byrd 

Even Now by Karen Kingsbury ~ Rachel Bloomingburg 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling ~ Melissa Moore 

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg ~ Paul Sorrell 

The 100 Cupboards by Nathan D. Wilson ~Darius Mullin 

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte ~ Savannah Patterson 

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien ~Micah Rhodes 

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell ~ Sara Hand 

The Sunne of Splendor: A Novel of Richard III by Sharon Kay Penman ~Susan Kriaski 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee~ Beth Lynn 

*Even Now and The Sunne of Splendor are available through Interlibrary Loan. 

Help us celebrate National Library Week by checking out one of your favorites.   

Reading List: National Young Readers Week

National Young Readers Week is observed during the second week of November every year in order to promote literacy among children and their families. In the spirit of the occasion, library staff members have shared their favorite children’s books that can be found in Union’s library.

Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager, enjoys this book because it helps readers think about what makes them special while also encouraging them to choose kindness.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Jeannie Byrd, Technical Services Librarian, has always enjoyed this 14 book series:

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Sara Hand, Circulation Associate and Administrative Secretary, loves reading this to her daughter who often mimics the animal voices:

Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

Susan Kriaski, Cataloging Associate, thinks these two books deserve a read:

Llama Llama and Friends by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Beth Lynn, Collection Development Coordinator, loves reading about Ralph’s adventures on his little red motorcycle:

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Melissa Moore, Director for Library Services, enjoys these books for their creativity:

Free Fall by David Wiesner

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

Stephen Mount, Systems Librarian, loved the idea of time and space travel as a child, so he recommends this book:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Savannah Patterson, Public Services Librarian, recommends this book for the illustrations and the message of giving:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Micah Rhodes, Evening Circulation Supervisor, likes this book:

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

Paul Sorrell, Creative Projects Coordinator, appreciates this book because it demonstrates the power of friendship and the talents of a creative spider:

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Amber Wessies, Instruction Librarian, has fond family memories associated with these books:

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino