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. 

Genre Starter List: Science

When you think of science books, what comes to mind might be dull, hefty science textbooks. In reality, science books and stories can be engrossing, even thrilling! Here, we have selected several books that are interesting to those with or without a scientific background. Of course, “science” is a remarkably broad category including many, many subjects—we have attempted to showcase representative titles across a range of disciplines. Remember to click on the links to read more about each book if you’re interested, and remember that you can search for other science writings in the library catalogue!

The Hidden Universe: Adventures in Biodiversity

A detailed and engaging exploration of biodiversity and why it matters. Of course, any work on the subject must address the worldwide crisis of declining biodiversity, which Antonelli does with clarity while also offering ideas for solutions.  

Black Hole Survival Guide

A fascinating and whimsical investigation of black holes, one of the most captivating concepts in physics. Accompanied by fun and minimalistic illustrations, Janna Levin breaks down complicated concepts from astronomy and physics in this surprisingly short and readable book.  

The Matter of Everything: How Curiosity, Physics, and Improbable Experiments Changed the World

Through the lens of twelve major experiments, Suzie Sheehy recounts the history of physics with an emphasis on curiosity and experimentalists, rather than theorists.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales

Oliver Sacks relates several engrossing, entertaining, and insightful anecdotes of neurological disorders and their effects.

Seeing the Sky: 100 Projects, Activities, and Explorations in Astronomy

Looking for hands-on ways to learn more about astronomy? This volume includes one hundred options targeted for beginners and amateurs.

Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World

Interested in learning about the history of chemistry through a particularly explosive lens? Look no further than Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs, a book that traces the origins of chemical and biological warfare through ancient and medieval times.

Life’s Edge: The Search for What it Means to be Alive

What is “life?” The answer seems obvious, but is actually notoriously murky. One of the most brilliant science writers tackles the question in this 2021 release.

The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires that Run the World

In 2017, a series of papers published around the world drew attention to an emerging disaster: insects, the glue that holds ecosystems together, are disappearing in droves. In The Insect Crisis, Oliver Milman dives into this emerging story, it’s causes, and why the results might be even more disastrous than we dare to fear.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race

The incredible true story of the “human computers” whose work at NASA helped put rockets and eventually astronauts in space. The basis for the popular 2016 movie of the same name.

Mother Brain: How Neuroscience is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood

Dive into this 2022 exploration of groundbreaking research on the “maternal instinct” and how becoming a parent actually changes the neurology of the mother’s brain.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Though she died more than sixty years ago, Henrietta Lacks’ cells—known as HeLa to researchers—are still used today. HeLa cells have been an integral part of research on cancer, viruses, gene mapping, polio vaccines, and more, yet Lacks herself is buried in an unmarked grave. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a fascinating account of scientific history, bioethics, and scientific law.

Silent Spring

Rachel Carson’s classic work investigating the connection between environmental destruction and the use of herbicides, pesticides, and other chemical products. Originally published in the 1960s, Silent Spring is (unfortunately) still an important work today.

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

March Book (& Movie) Madness 2023: Week 1

Union University’s Library at the Logos is back with our second presentation of March Book Madness! On Fridays in February, you will be introduced to the books competing in March Book Madness in 2023. One difference this year is that each book has also been made into a movie. We hope that this will help you with the selection process. Each week will feature our titles from two different genres. By the end, you will have been introduced to 8 genres and 16 books. During the month of March, stay tuned to our social media channels to vote on your favorites. Our 2022 Champion was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Will a familiar favorite win again or will a new contender reach the top of the shelf? You, our readers, will determine the winner. We hope that you journey with us as we make our way through the Final Four and crown our second March Book (& Movie) Madness Champion!  

Rachel: Welcome! Thank you for joining us for March Book (& Movie) Madness: 2023 edition. I’m Rachel Bloomingburg, and I’ll be one of your commentators for this week, alongside Darius Mullin. Our goal is to introduce you to the first two of eight genres that will be featured this year. Darius, could you tell us about the two genres to be featured this week?

Darius: Our first two categories are Historical Fiction and Civil Rights! The Historical Fiction genre is typically set in a real time and place, even if the specific characters and events of the story aren’t strictly historical. Our Civil Rights category is a more specific subset of historical fiction that includes stories centered around American citizens’ efforts to attain social and political equality.

Rachel: Both categories are great to help us better understand our past and appreciate strides that have been made for present and future generations. What is our first participant in the Historical Fiction genre?

Darius: Our first Historical Fiction candidate is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, alongside the 1962 movie of the same name directed by Robert Mulligan. Set during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows Scout Finch and her family’s experiences in smalltown Alabama. The plot culminates with Scout’s father, lawyer Atticus Finch, defending a black man against a false rape accusation.

Rachel: Yes. I remember this story. What’s our second choice in this genre?

Darius: Next up is The Godfather by Mario Puzo and its movie adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The plot tells the tale of the fictional Corleone family, an Italian mafia family based in New York City. Set shortly after World War II, the novel/movie initially follows Don Vito Corleone, the head of the family as he runs the family business. But an emergency thrusts Vito’s son Michael—who is introduced as a family misfit, uninvolved in the Corleone business—into the spotlight as main character and mafia leader. Both the book and movie versions of The Godfather are highly acclaimed, present fascinating characters, and are full of violence and intrigue.

Rachel: I don’t know much about The Godfather, but I usually like stories based around the World War II time period. Which of these two do you think will advance to the elite eight?

Darius: It’s hard to say, since both options are American classics. If I had to guess, I think To Kill a Mockingbird might have a slight edge on the competition, since a lot of people have probably read it in high school. How about you introduce us to our contestants in the next category, Civil Rights?

Rachel: Happy to. Our first choice is Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. The book written by Margot Lee Shetterly, as well as the film adaptation directed by Theodore Melfi and shortened to the title Hidden Figures, focuses on a core group of dedicated female mathematicians (nicknamed “human computers”) that are called into service during a labor shortage of World War II. Their work helped give Americans a victory they desperately needed with regards to the space race. Math and science tend to be a male-dominated field, so I appreciate that this shows women making an impact in the field.

Darius: That’s awesome! I’ve seen that movie; it’s a great story! Could you share the second option in this category?

Rachel: Yes. Our second selection is likely more well-known when thinking of the Civil Rights genre. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, and the 2020 film adaptation starring Michael B. Jordan help to show the disparity and often unfair treatment of those with limited resources, which could lead to individuals being wrongly condemned. The book covers several cases that Bryan worked on, as well as learning what led him to get into the field. The movie focuses on the case of Walter McMillian, a black man that was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a young, white woman that he didn’t commit. I really appreciated reading the book because it reminded me that while Walter’s case was the most well-known, Bryan’s work made an impact in multiple cases. Knowing that it’s an autobiography helps to give it an even greater personal nature.

Darius: I remember being very impacted when I read that book. Sounds like two really good duos in this part of the bracket! Any ideas as to which will come out on top?

Rachel: It will be tough because both are powerful and important stories, but I think Just Mercy will come out as the winner.

Darius: Well, folks, that’s all for today! Which of the first four entrants has the best chance of making it to the Final Four this year? Keep an eye on the library Instagram for voting next month, and stay tuned for the introduction of the other twelve contestants in the weeks to come!