Hi Amy and welcome to RP. I hope you become a regular poster and not just a lurker! I saw you posted on the "What are you reading thread".

My suggestion would be a book I just finished reading entitled Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. In 1993, deep sea recreational wreck divers found a boat 60 miles off of the coast of New Jersey and six years and much research later, they identified it as a WW-II U-boat. It was a fascinating read, all non-fiction and I learned a lot about the history of U-boats and wreck diving, too. I think the book was published in 2003. Is this the type of suggestion you were looking for with this thread?

PAM

Thanks Pam! Yes, that is just the sort of thing we're looking for - quality stuff that may have slipped through the holes. I'll put Shadow Divers on my order list. Thanks for your help!

Well, it's slightly older but I'd suggest Michael Burleigh's The Third Reich: A New History. It was published in 2001 but I think it's destined to become a classic in the field. Who knows? Maybe it'll even become the new standard text right next to Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

A very interesting book with short segments on findings in physics is: Black Bodies and Quantum Cats : Tales from the Annals of Physics by Alan Chodos and Jennifer Ouellette. I thorougly enjoyed this book and learned quite a bit. Its also recommended by Science News (where I found it).

Another, slightly older (2001) book that is along the science vein is A Fish Caught in Time : The Search for the Coelacanth by Samantha Weinberg. It is an interesting history about finding the coelocanth.

and lastly, I'll also suggest The Grail Bird: Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by Tim Gallagher. He is one of the searchers that went looking for the Ivory-billed woodpecker. He explains a lot about the history of birding, as well as the history of the ivory-billed woodpecker and then goes into the search that led to the likely discovery of the woodpecker. Very, very fascinating and educational.

Oh my....the possibilities are endless. You might check with other libraries for some ideas as well. Also consider books that are not well known, books that are either by foreign authors, or books by authors who part of a minority. Also, are you checking with your students? They might be able to tell you more what they are seeking in a school library (once I finished HS, I never used college libraries for fiction) Finally, find out what your profs are expecting students to have either read or will be reading, or their recommendations. Good luck!

Oh, and please tell us how you got a surplus! Our local libraries are soon to close unless the very conservative citizens here pass a bond increase and its doubtful they will...

There are some really good Australian texts that would be a worthwhile purchase. 'Of a Boy' and 'Surrender' by Sonya Hartnett come to mind, and are both brilliant books. I would also add 'The Riders' by Tim Winton, as well as 'Wake in Fright' - that great Australian novel - by Kenneth Cook.

In history, I think Shirer's book is outdated. And is often attacked by academia because he is not a historian, but a journalist. However, he was there at the time and his book is useful. A more recent study and well researched book(s) on the Third Reach, is by British historian, Richard Evans. Burleigh's book isn't bad, but is dense to read and not as detailed as Evans' book.

Two excellent and entertaining maths books. Yes, such things do exist. Why do Buses Come in Threes? and How Long is a Piece of String? by Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham. They are subtitled Hidden Mathematics of Everyday Life and are a very good read.

You probably have access to Library Journal through EBSCOhost or any other reference database. They have very informative reviews like:

America's Art.
Abrams. Apr. 2006. c.324p. ed. by Theresa Slowik.
illus. index. ISBN 0-8109-5532-6.
$65. FINE ARTS

This catalog marks the July 4 reopening of the Smithsonian American Art Museum after six years of renovations. Bringing its art from behind closed doors, the museum has published no fewer than ten publications devoted to distinct portions of its collection since 2000, and this is the third highlights catalog devoted to the entire collection in as many decades. So where does it stand in relation to the other two? While there are significant overlaps in coverage among all three, the latest approaches the art from a different angle, placing it within a broad historical narrative. Slowik (chief of publications, Smithsonian American Art Museum) concentrates on how the art informs and reflects American history. Some chapters manage this interweaving of art and history more successfully than others: "Ever Westward" and "The Harlem Renaissance" are rich and multilayered chapters, while "The Abstract Impulse" tells its story without Jackson Pollack. This work includes more than 200 full-color images, and though it lacks detailed entries, it nevertheless has broader, more general appeal than its predecessors. Recommended for public and undergraduate library collections.

and

Fraser, Rebecca.
The Story of Britain: From the Romans to the
Present; A Narrative History.
Norton. Feb. 2005.
c.832p. illus. maps. index.
ISBN 0-393-06010-1. $35. HIST

The daughter of Antonia Fraser and herself an accomplished biographer (e.g., Brontës: Charlotte Brontë and Her Family), Fraser here covers an astounding range of important British individuals from Roman times to the present. The narrative ranges chronologically from Boudicca to Blair and includes telling anecdotal accounts from far-flung places like Australia and the Americas. The result is an important work studded with characters from Claudius to Hitler as well as lesser-known mortals; compared with recent larger volumes on British history (for instance, Simon Schama's popular works, which led to a televised series), Fraser's is easier to digest. If fault can be found it is the attempt to cover such a broad spectrum of British history. Fraser aims to represent her subject "from away" (outside Britain's borders), as she should, though sometimes relevant events in America, Australia, Canada, and Europe are given short shrift. Still, the bibliographies, list of prime ministers, and genealogy charts of the British monarchy will lead readers to additional resources. Ultimately, this book will find a welcome place on the shelf of anyone interested in British history. Recommended for all libraries.

But also steer you away from unsuitable books like

Goldstein, Rebecca.
Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity.

I am a medical librarian & quite understand--what a windfall! A non-medically oriented book I just finished:

Flaubert by Brown. Can't recall the first name, but it's a brand new biography which had rave reviews & deserved them.

Thank you for all your excellent suggestions! I have exhausted all our ordinary sources of selection (Library Journal, Choice, Booklist) and have scoured other libraries and bookstores trying to find those things that we missed, and you folks are being a great help.

These funds came from one of those strange budget manouvers - they were originally assigned for "instructional equipment" but apparently over-budgeted - so we have fifteen thousand dollars worth of books to buy by the end of June. We're going through the classics and replacing tattered copies, looking for new editions of older works, and so on.

Thanks again for your great suggestions - keep them coming!

Then I suggest:
1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry by Andrew Bridgeford,
Shakespeare: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd,
Great Tales from English History, by Robert Lacey,
Ireland: A Novel by Frank Delaney,
Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics and Art in 15th Century Florence by Tim Parks,
The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death by John Kelly,
Leonardo da Vinci: Flights of the Mind by Charles Nicholl and
The Judgment of Paris by Ross King,
all excellent books which I very much enjoyed.

Probably your already referenced sources draw from this list, but if not, the annual New York Times list of notable books may provide some titles. Down the left side of the page you will find links to the notable books from previous years. Free registration required.

The Education of Little Tree ~ Forest Carter
Charms for the Easy Life ~ Kaye Gibbons
The Poisonwood Bible ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Year of Wonders ~ Geraldine Brooks

Here are my suggestions:

"Rising Tide: The Great Missippi Flood of 1927" - John Barry
"Will in the World" - Stephen Greenblatt (Shakespeare)
"Coal: A Human History" - Barbara Freese
"Collapse" - Jared Diamond (why civilizations rise and fall- the Mayans, the Easter Islanders, the Vikings, et al.)

You probably already have these, but Mark Kurlansky's Salt and Cod are terrific non-fiction books that are as enjoyable as novels.

How about some cookbooks? Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way would get my vote.

The Birth of Venus and The Company of the Courtesan, both historical fiction by Sarah Dunant.

The Victorian House by Judith Flanders is both interesting and easy to read.

A series of books by Liza Picard about London:
Elizabeth's London
Restoration London
Dr Johnson's London
Victorian London

These are full of anecdotes and quite captivating.

For science and natural history recs, I like to read the reviews at Discover magazine. I've attached a link to their picks from previous years.

Some books that I've read in the last year or so that I've enjoyed included:

Humboldt's Cosmos: Alexander Von Humboldt and the Latin American Journey That Changed the Way We See the World by Gerard Helferich

Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe by Laurence Bergreen

The Heretic in DarwinÂs Court by Ross A. Slotten
(a bio about Alfred Russel Wallace)

If you don't already have some of Peter Matthiessen's travelogues in your collection, I can highly recommend those too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Discover Magazine Top Science books.

I'd also encourage you to stock up on the Hesperus Press selection of little known works by classic authors. I just read their edition of Dicken's Mrs Lirriper, which includes not only his short stories but also those of the other contributors to the series, such as Charles Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell. The weight, size and typefaces of this edition are very attractive.

From their website: Hesperus Press is dedicated to rediscovering the lesser-known works of well-known authors, among them Edgar Allan Poe, Flaubert and Chekhov. A large number of titles have simply fallen out of fashion, while others are newly translated from French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and German, and have long been regarded as classics across the rest of Europe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hesperus Press catalogue

I just finished Collapse by Jared Diamond, and I think it is well worth buying, fitting in with ethnic studies, environmentalism, and history.

For fiction, any novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Her works deal with the intersection of American and Indian cultures, told through the perspective or women.

Other suggestions that came to my mind are the new version of Gilgamesh and the folling novels: The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman, More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon; and City of Light by Lauren Belfer. These last three have 1999-2000 publication dates, so perhaps they won't be acceptable. I notice that Beth Gutcheon has a new novel, but I have not yet read it, and so cannot recommend it to you.

Rosefolly

I agree with the thought of buying cookbooks.

Can't do without a classic like "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, I think there's two volumes (her biography is good too).

The Martha Stewart Living cookbooks are incredible, I've never had anything out of those books not turn out fabulous.

Cole's "Cooking A to Z" is an awesome technical book that any novice can follow and learn from.

The Foodnetwork stars cookbooks are popular, but they tend to be faddish so I don't know how long they would stay current in circulation. The best in my opinion would be the ones by Paula Deen, Ina Garten, and Giada DeLaurentis, following them is Tyler Florence and Rachael Ray who are very popular with the younger crowd. If you like Louisiana style cooking Emeril is for you, but I'm not personally fond of his recipes.

Other non-foodnetwork cookbooks I love are by Sarah Foster and Nigella Lawson (her "How to Eat" is the best one). Of course we can't leave out the "Cook's Illustrated" cookbooks, they possible have the best test kitchen in America and the cookbooks are fabulous.

I forbid you to buy any cookbooks by Sandra Lee or Robin Miller, those aren't "cookbooks".