Lunch and Literature

Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books beat Hip-Hop Culture by Thomas Chatterton Williams

2012-01-25T09:50:00.004-05:00

Our next Lunch & Literature will be on Tuesday, February 7 at 12:30pm in the library seminar room. Our selection is Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture by Thomas Chatterton Williams.

The book grew out of an op-ed article that Williams wrote in 2007. He details the contrast between life inside and outside his house, where hip-hop culture competed with his father's intellectual influence, and how he ultimately chose an academic life.

Williams' website contains a lot of great information, including a playlist that goes along with the book.

Finally, here is an interview with Williams and his father:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-11-22T14:23:00.002-05:00

Join us for our next book discussion, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. We'll discuss one of the most popular titles of the year on Thursday December 8th @ 12:30pm in the 2nd floor Seminar Room.

A limited number of copies are available at the Reference Desk.

Next Up: The Help

2011-11-13T15:35:00.003-05:00

If you haven't read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, or seen the movie, and wonder what all of the hoopla is about, then join us for our next Lunch and Literature selection. We have copies available at the Reference Desk. Discussion date is TBA.

Great booktalk!!

2011-11-13T15:19:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all who came out last Thursday for Lunch and Literature. If you missed author Valerie Nieman at last week's discussion of Blood Clay, you definitely missed a treat!! The author, the book, and the discussion were great! Even the punch was great:) We hope to have Valerie back in the future. Pics posted soon.

Lunch & Literature: Blood Clay, with Special Guest Author Valerie Nieman (Thurs. 11-10-2011 @ 12:30pm)

2011-10-26T11:47:00.003-04:00

Join us on Thursday, November 10 at 12:30pm in the Library Seminar Room for a discussion of Blood Clay featuring the author, Valerie Nieman. The library has one copy available for checkout (on the New Books shelf) and two available for library use in A&T Reserves and in Special Collections.

For more information about the book and the author (who is an A&T faculty member), please visit the event page on the Bluford Library Website.

We look forward to seeing you. Bring your lunch and bring a friend! Books will be available for purchase.

There's Always Work at the Post Office

2011-10-06T15:09:00.006-04:00

Did you know that NC A&T Professor Phil Rubio was recently on The Colbert Report?! He was speaking about his book, There's Always Work at the Post Office: African American Postal Workers and the Fight For Jobs, Justice, and Equality. You can check out the book at Bluford Library, call number A&T HE 6499:R82 2010. If you missed him on The Colbert Report, check it out below.

The Colbert Report

Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

#RT: A&T Creative Writing Contest

2011-10-06T14:59:00.001-04:00

The North Carolina A&T State University Creative Writing Program is sponsoring its first J. California Cooper and John Edgar Wideman Short Fiction Prize. The competition seeks to honor the literary legacy of these two American writers.

Cooper and Wideman have authored numerous collections of short fiction and novels among their accomplishments. The award winning writers have been celebrated for their rich depictions of African American families via their ability to translate the breadth of the Black American experience into poignant tales of urban and rural life. Through their creative vision, Cooper and Wideman fuse history, myth, fiction and autobiography to create a symphony of black voices, from the vernacular to the highly educated.

The competition is open to writers without regard to geographical region or previous publication background.

Fictional short story entries (any style) of no more than 7,000 words per short story – only one story per submission – will be accepted. Entries must be written in English and include the following per entry: four typed (12-point font), double spaced, stapled copies of an unpublished manuscript (author’s name must not appear on the manuscript); one cover sheet with name, address, telephone, email, word count and title of story; and $15 entry fee (check or money order made payable to NCAT/CWP-Fiction Prize) per submission. Writers may submit more than one entry; however, each entry must be accompanied by a separate $15 entry fee. Entrants may enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for acknowledgement of receipt of manuscript (optional).

Mail submission(s) to Dr. Anjail Ahmad, Creative Writing Program-Short Fiction Prize, A427 GCB, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 E. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27411. All entries must be mailed and postmarked by Monday, Oct. 31, and the winners will be announced Thursday, Dec. 1.

The grand prize winner will receive $250. The winning entry and honorable mentions will be published on the university’s website.

A committee of poets and writers will judge the competition. Committee members reserve the right to withhold the prize should entries not meet their standards.

For more information, contact Ahmad at (336) 334-7771, ext. 2370, or arahmad@ncat.edu.

National Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept 15 - Oct 15

2011-09-22T10:23:00.008-04:00

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with these great reads located at Bluford Library.

Allende, I. (1985). Casa Del Los Espiritus/ The House of Spirits. New York, NY: Bantam Books. A&T STACKS PQ8090.1.L54 C313 1986
Castro, R. (2009). Adversity is my angel: The Life and Career of Raul H. Castro. FortWorth, Tx: TCU Press. A&T STACKS F815.3.C37 A3 2009
Jimenez Roman, M., Juan Flores. (2010). The Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and Culture in the United States. A John Hope Franklin Center Book. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. A&T Stacks E185.615 .A37 2010
Simeon-Jones, K. (2010). Literary and sociopolitical writings of the Black Diaspora in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Location: A&T STACKS DT16.5 .S56 2010
US Department of Labor (2011). The Hispanic Labor Force in the recovery. Washington, DC. available online

Check out this video of Coretta Scott King speaking in support of the Farmworkers Movement in 1972

courtesy of National Farm Worker Service Center

Where's Lunch & Literature?!

2011-09-20T13:16:00.005-04:00

Where's Lunch & Literature?! We're busy here at Bluford Library welcoming our new Dean Vicki Coleman. Once our calendar is confirmed for the academic year, you'll be the first to know.

While you are waiting for our next book selection:

9/22 @ 4pm: Visit the NC A&T State University General Classroom Auditorium. Dr. Myrtle Boykin Sampson, author of “Crazy Lady: Achieving Against the Odds” will be book signing. This event is hosted by the University Bookstore. For more information call 336.334.7593.

9/28 @ 7pm: Visit the Central Library of Greensboro. New York Times Best Selling Author Sharyn McCrumb will be reading and signing her latest book The Ballad of Tom Dooley. For more information call 336-373-3617

10/2 @ 11am: CNN news anchor Soledad O'Brien will be the Founder's Day Speaker at Bennett College. In Fall 2010, O'Brien released The Next Big Story: My Journey Through The Land of Possibilities. For more information, call 336-517-2100

8/11 Lunch & Literature Postponed

2011-08-11T07:38:00.002-04:00

We regret to inform you that today's discussion of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be postponed. We will let you know as soon as we have a new date and time. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and short notice.

We do hope that this delay gives you some extra reading time to finish the book or to dig into the sequel, The Girl Who Played with Fire. You can also check out the Swedish movie adaptation.

Thanks for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Summer Reading!!

2011-06-27T12:10:00.002-04:00

As Bluford Library’s Lunch and Literature Book Club reflects poolside about the wonderful titles shared over the past semester, we can prop our feet up with this summer’s new selection: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. Take all summer to dive into this New York Times’ best seller packed full of conspiracy, murder, secrets, and betrayal. A limited number of copies of the titles are available at the Reference Desk. The next meeting will take place Thursday August 11 at 12:30pm in the Seminar Room of Bluford Library. Happy Reading!!

Post-Zelda

2011-04-17T19:01:00.002-04:00

Oh, what a magnificent conversation we had with Zelda on last Tuesday! She's a truly extraordinary person and her work is just a small glimpse into who she is. After the Lunch & Literature session, students from the Middle College at NC A&T participated in a creative writing workshop tailored just for them. That, too, was awesome. It was especially wonderful to see the transparency and willingness of the young men to share their experiences with a complete stranger, and each other.
We had a good day.

BTW: Zelda (we're on a first name basis now:)) has a couple of weekend writing intensive workshops coming up. Check those out at www.zeldalockhart.com

Author Zelda Lockhart Visiting!!!

2011-04-07T13:35:00.002-04:00

We're so excited to have author Zelda Lockhart visiting with us next Tuesday April 12 @ 12:30pm for our next Lunch and Literature. We'll be completing our reading of Cold Running Creek while also sharing about her latest release Fifth Born 11. Ms. Lockhart was the 2010 Piedmont Laureate for NC and we can't wait to have her here celebrating National Library Week!! See you there...

African American Read-In at Bluford Library

2011-02-21T10:39:00.003-05:00

The Bluford Library will be participating in the 22^nd National African American Read-In on Tuesday, February 22 from 1-4pm in the Bluford Library Seminar Room. This event, which is sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English, works toward the goal of making African American literacy a part of Black History Month. We invite all members of the A&T community to read from books and poetry written by African American authors. To participate, simply select a work by an African American author and come to the Seminar Room on February 22^nd between 2 and 4 pm. You can drop in and stay for as long or as short as you want. Light refreshments will be served.

If you need help selecting a book, the Black Studies Collection on the third floor of Bluford Library is a great place to look. We will also have some copies of books by African American authors on hand if you don't have time to make a selection in advance.

Time correction! Lunch and Literature at 12:30pm on 1/20

2011-01-19T11:37:00.001-05:00

My apologies to our readers! Lunch and Literature will take place at 12:30pm on Thursday, January 20th, NOT at noon. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Lunch and Literature returns! 1/20/11 at 12:30pm

2011-01-18T11:31:00.004-05:00

As we settle into the Spring Semester, please join us for Lunch and Literature on Thursday, January 20 at 12:30pm in the Bluford Library Seminar Room to discuss Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success. This book covers fascinating topics such as wet rice agriculture's impact on mathematical skills and how cultural norms can contribute to airline crashes.

For more information, check out Malcolm Gladwell's official website for the book. It includes a few excerpts that are sure to pique your interest.

If you can't make it this Thursday, never fear! We have two great titles picked out for February and April:

February 16, 2011: always outnumbered, always outgunned by walter mosley. You can pick up a copy at this week's L&L discussion.

April 12, 2011: Cold Running Creek by Zelda Lockhart

REMINDER: Lunch and Literature Tuesday, November 9 @ 12:30pm

2010-11-04T08:56:00.002-04:00

Please join us on Tuesday, November 9 at 12:30pm in the Faculty Dining Room of Williams Cafeteria for Lunch and Literature. Come prepared to talk about a book that you've read recently. Hopefully this will give us all some ideas for leisure reading over the holidays!

I am looking forward to telling the group about The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This literary novel takes on characteristics of many genres, including mystery, historical fiction, and horror. If you're interested in the vampire craze but want something a little more grown-up than Twilight or more cerebral than Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books, The Historian is a great choice. To learn more, come to Lunch and Literature!

Next Lunch and Literature on Tuesday, November 9

2010-10-20T11:24:00.003-04:00

We had a great discussion of The Soloist last week! We had eight participants, and covered a number of topics related to mental health and homelessness. The book definitely gave all of us food for thought.

Our next Lunch and Literature meeting will be on November 9, 2010 at 12:30pm. For our last meeting of 2010, we're shaking things up a bit. Rather than all reading the same book, we'll each come prepared to talk about a book that we have recently read. Hopefully this session will give us some ideas for holiday reading! We're also planning a change of venue: the faculty dining room.

Hope to see all of you there!

One City, One Book

2010-10-06T16:41:00.003-04:00

Lunch and Literature is back and ready for Fall 2010!! Our next selection, The Soloist by Steve Lopez, coincides with Greensboro Public Library's One City One Book initiative. There are tons of programs all over the city, including a reception with Nathaniel Ayers' sister. For more programs and great ways to get involved, click on One City, One Book post title.
See you next week at Lunch & Literature, Thursday October 14 @ 12:30pm in the Seminar Room at Bluford Library.

Mark your calendars...

2010-09-09T14:05:00.003-04:00

The next Lunch and Literature will take place on Thursday, October 14th from 12:30-1:30pm in the library's 2nd floor Seminar Room. This month's read is the Greensboro Public Library's One City One Book selection, The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music. Bring your lunch and bring a friend for lively discussion!

Video, audio, and photos on Rebecca Skloot's web site

2010-08-20T11:20:00.004-04:00

I recently visited Rebecca Skloot's web site and found a wealth of information about Henrietta Lacks and her family. In the photos section, you can see many photos that were not included in the book. There are several photos of Deborah and Zakariyya, two of Henrietta's children, looking at their mother's cells for the first time. There are extensive photos of Clover, Henrietta's hometown, throughout the years, as well as photos from Turner's Station, the Baltimore suburb where Henrietta lived for the last several years of her life. In the audio/video section, you can watch a video of HeLa cells dividing. You can also watch The Way of All Flesh, the BBC documentary mentioned throughout the book. Ms. Skloot also included a video from her book tour, which includes footage of Henrietta's son Sonny and his two daughters talking about HeLa's impact on their lives.

I definitely recommend visiting this web site to see people and places from the book come to life.

Henrietta Lacks forever....

2010-08-12T12:12:00.000-04:00

Here is an article from Wired Magazine that gives a time line on the importance of the HeLa cells and how they have been helping science. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/st_henrietta/

Rebecca Skloot website http://rebeccaskloot.com/

Text in Community 2010-2011

2010-08-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

North Carolina A&T’s Text-in-Community
is out next title up for discussion
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot.
A true story about an African American woman and her cancerous cells known as the HeLa cell that has supplied the holy grails of mid-century biology.

Join us in F.D. Bluford Library, Suite 100

August 12th and 26th
12:30-1:30pm

Bring your Lunch, Bring a friend

Available in Bluford Library A&T Stacks RC265.6.L24 S55 2010

Coming soon this title will be available on Bluford Library's Sony ereaders

Non -Fiction for the summer

2010-07-08T14:57:00.000-04:00

So you wanted a short and fun title for the month of July …..
Thank You for all the suggestions which I will post later.

Our quick and fun non-fiction selection for July is ...
Act like a Lady, Think like a Man: what men really think about love, relationships, intimacy, and commitment by Steve Harvey and Denene Millner.

So join us for intellectual and lively conversation……..
Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:30-1:30pm, Bluford Library seminar room.256-258

I do not have extra copies to hand out this time, however, you should be able to pick one up at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Ed McKays, or the public library. Bluford Library will have a copy soon.

ALSO…….Mark your calendars for the Fall… August 12 and 26 for discussion of
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack by Rebecca Skloot, North Carolina A & T’s Text-in-Community.

At the Movie

2010-06-10T14:35:00.002-04:00

"Tuesdays with Morrie" was created as a made for TV movie in 1999 staring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria.
Here is a clip with Oprah Winfrey introducing the film (she is also the producer). Enjoy

Summertime.....

2010-06-08T10:58:00.002-04:00

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

A Detroit Free Press journalist and best-selling author recounts his weekly visits with a dying teacher who years before had set him straight.
…..Library Journal

Mark your calendars Wednesday, June 23, 2010 for our next gathering.

Bluford Library seminar room 256-258. 12:30pm 1:30pm

Available in Bluford Library....A&T STACKS LD571.B418 S383 1997

I also have extra books to lend, if you need one….. contact me.

Bring your lunch , bring a student , bring a friend.

Followup: Stones into Schools

2010-06-01T07:57:00.013-04:00

If you were as intrigued by the selfless acts of Greg Mortenson as I was in Three Cups of Tea, you will be pleased to know there's a new release: Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was just released in December 2009, so, read it, and tell us about it.

More info about Mortenson's latest:

Booklist starred review from December 2009
excerpt
audio excerpt

Lunch and Literature TODAY

2010-05-13T08:19:00.000-04:00

Join us ...
Three Cups of Tea......One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
by Greg Motenson and David Relin is our next title for discussion.

Thursday, May 13, 2010 F.D. Bluford Library

Suite 100 Conference room

12:30pm-1:30pm

Spring Recap

2010-04-30T15:08:00.001-04:00

Lunch and Literature is still going strong.

The theme this year was Across the Pond. Our readings take us to far off lands and meet multifaceted characters. To start our journey we tackle our Texting in Community- Dream From My Father: a Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama. President Obama takes us through his childhood in Hawaii, to his schooling in Jakarta Indonesia to his heritage in Kenya. Three students attended at the urging of their faculty. A big thank you goes out to Gloria Pitts for leading that discussion.

In January we travel through Spain to the Pyramids of Egypt with Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. During February and March we were in the mist of Afghanistan in 1974 with A thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. A tale of two women in régime torn Afghanistan over 25 year. It is evenly skewed with despair and grave hope. You may recognize Hosseini name, he is also the author of the national bestseller The Kite Runner which movie debut in 2007. Since A Thousand Splendid Suns had so many discussion points we met twice to give it a thorough probe. The Middle Eastern cuisine mentioned throughout the book sparked Dr. Johnson, from the Sociology Department to provide us with colorful and delicious food from Zaytoon Mediterranean Café. Grape leaves wrapped around savory rice, sweet and spicy baby red peppers filled with goat cheese and herbs, stuffed olives and other assorted goodies. Thank You Dr. J.

Our next title Three Cups of Tea, One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Motenson and David Relin will launch us into a dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan in post- 9/11 world.

Join us…

Thursday, May 13, 2010 12:30pm-1:30pm
In a new venue ---Suite 100, Conference room in Bluford Library
(Glass doors to the left of the main entrance)

Three Cups of Tea.....

2010-04-23T08:47:00.007-04:00

One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Motenson and David Relin is our next title for discussion.
Save the date...

Thursday, May 13, 2010 Bluford Library's
suite 100 conference room
12:30-1:30pm

I have a few extra books to lend. Please let me know if you need a copy.
Bring your lunch, bring a student, bring a friend

National Library Week / National Poetry Month

2010-04-05T15:49:00.003-04:00

I love April because there is always so much going on.

April 11 - 17 is National Library Week.
This year's theme is Communities Thrive @your Library

Also April is National Poetry Month

So.... in honor of both events, I am asking you to bring a poem to our next Lunch and Literature gathering.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 12:30-1:30 pm
Bluford Library Seminar room. 256-258

Your poems should be about the many communities we live in, work in or play in. Communities of thought, the environment, cooperation, unity, and kinship. Poems that touch a chord or strike home.

Bluford library has many resources for your poetry selection. Here are a few to get you started...

In print
The Norton Anthology of Poetry A&T Ref    PR1174 .N6 1997
The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry A&T Stacks   PS613 .N67 2003
The New Anthology of American Poetry A&T Stacks PS586 .N49 2003

Electronic
Chadwyck-Healey Literature Collections  contains the following poetry collections or search individually
20th Century African-American Poetry
20th Century American Poetry
20th Century English Poetry
African American Poetry (1750-1900)
American Poetry 1600-1900
Faber Poetry Library

Spring 2010

2010-03-28T20:33:00.000-04:00

We still have two books in our Across the Pond series.....

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper
and
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortensen

I am checking into the availablity of copies for either of these titles for our next gathering.
Save the date
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 during
National Library Week April 11-17.

Stay tuned ... and leave your thoughts, comments about the books and this program.
I would love to hear from you.

Pushing Spring...

2010-03-28T18:46:00.003-04:00

Lunch and Literature is still going strong. The theme this year was Across the Pond. Our readings take us to far off lands and meet multifaceted characters. To start our journey we tackle our Texting in Community- Dream From My Father: a Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama. President Obama takes us through his childhood in Hawaii, to his schooling in Jakarta Indonesia to his heritage in Kenya. Three students attended at the urging of their faculty. And a big thank you goes out to Gloria Pitts for leading that discussion.

In January we travel through Spain to the Pyramids of Egypt with Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. We have just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. A tale of two women in régime torn Afghanistan over 25 years. It is evenly skewed with despair and grave hope. You may recognize Hosseini name, he is also the author of the national bestseller The Kite Runner which was originally on our list for this year's theme however, I thought you would enjoy A Thousand Splendid Suns more.

A Cold Winter

2010-03-02T09:11:00.003-05:00

Who ordered all that snow?

Now that we are thawing out and it looks like spring might be around the corner....
Let's get together to discuss our next title.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini .

Thursday, March 4 ---parts 1 & 2
Thursday, March 25, 2010-----parts 3 &4
F.D. Bluford Library Seminar room 256-258
Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm

This title is available at Bluford Library, A&T Stack PS3608.O832 K58 2007

Happy New Year

2010-01-11T15:52:00.001-05:00

The Lunch and Literature gathering for January 12, 2010 has been rescheduled to

Thursday, January 14, 12:30-1:30pm
Bluford Library seminar room 256-258
You have two extra days......

Save the Date in 2010

2009-12-02T09:48:00.002-05:00

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Read it over your Holiday break.
We will meet Tuesday, January 12, 2010 for lunch and discussion
F.D. Bluford Library's seminar room 256-258
12:30-1:30pm
Bring your lunch, Bring a friend , Bring a student

Winter 2010

2009-12-01T16:18:00.001-05:00

Our next adventure in our Across the Pond series is..

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

In 1988 Paulo offered The Alchemist to a small Brazilian publishing house. It only sold 900 copies and the publishers drop it. The Alchemist is nowadays one of the most read books in the world.

Coelho is a Brazilian writer with four books to his credit. Following Diary of a Magus (1992--not reviewed) came this book, published in Brazil in 1988: it's an interdenominational, transcendental, inspirational fable--in other words, a bag of wind. The story is about a youth empowered to follow his dream. Santiago is an Andalusian shepherd boy who learns through a dream of a treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. An old man, the king of Salem, the first of various spiritual guides, tells the boy that he has discovered his destiny: ``to realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation.'' So Santiago sells his sheep, sails to Tangier, is tricked out of his money, regains it through hard work, crosses the desert with a caravan, stops at an oasis long enough to fall in love, escapes from warring tribesmen by performing a miracle, reaches the pyramids, and eventually gets both the gold and the girl. Along the way he meets an Englishman who describes the Soul of the World; the desert woman Fatima, who teaches him the Language of the World; and an alchemist who says, ``Listen to your heart.'' A message clings like ivy to every encounter; everyone, but everyone, has to put in their two cents' worth, from the crystal merchant to the camel driver (``concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man''). The absence of characterization and overall blandness suggest authorship by a committee of self-improvement pundits--a far cry from Saint- Exup‚ry's The Little Prince: that flagship of the genre was a genuine charmer because it clearly derived from a quirky, individual sensibility. Coelho's placebo has racked up impressive sales in Brazil and Europe. Americans should flock to it like gulls. -- Kirkus Reviews Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP.

Fall Conversations...

2009-11-29T18:36:00.004-05:00

Thank you for the lively and informative conversations about Presidents Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father. It is always a pleasure and encouraging to see students join in on the discussion and walk away with several new perspectives.

From the Inside Flap

2009-11-29T18:34:00.005-05:00

Dreams From My Father

"In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother's family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father's life, and at last reconciles his divided [cultural] inheritance." School Library Journal

FALL is here

2009-11-03T12:06:00.004-05:00

Save the date.....
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Seminar Room 256-258
Our first title of the year, up for discussion is NC A & T's Text in Community

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
by Barack Obama

You can find this title in Bluford Library at the Access Service Desk
Call number ... Reserve E185.97.O23 A3 2004

I will know soon if I have extra copies to borrow.
so keep in touch
Bring your lunch... bring a friend... bring a student...

ACROSS THE POND

2009-07-28T14:48:00.009-04:00

This year's theme is .....Across the Pond

Our readings will take us across the Altanlic to adventures from our friends to the East.

We will start with our Text in Community and then venture through Liberia , Morrocco, Spain , Afganistan and Pakistan .

Titles for this upcoming year 2009-2010

Dreams From My Father - A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortensen

Dates and book availability information coming soon.

Shelfari

2009-06-21T22:55:00.003-04:00

Check out our new Bookshelf App.
Shelfari.
Creat your own bookshelf and network with people who love books.

The Shack... discussion continues

2009-06-09T15:17:00.002-04:00

Next gathering we will continue our lively discussion of The Shack by William P. Young.

Wednesday, June 10, 12:30pm F.D. Bluford Library, seminar room 256-258.

Thought provoking questions for "The Shack"

2009-05-15T12:37:00.003-04:00

What elements of The Shack did you like (accept)?
What elements of The Shack did you find objectionable or not well presented?
What three words would you use to describe as a reason to read The Shack?
Who is Mack (Pre-Shack)?
Who is Mack (Post-Shack)?

Notes for "The Shack"

2009-05-15T12:11:00.006-04:00

Here is a list of the main talking points and page numbers for each chapter ...provided by John Teleha

1. Ice Storm 14-23
2. Camping Trip 24-32
3. Tipping Point 33-42
4. The Great Sadness 43-66
5. Mack accepts the Invitation / Mack Meets God 67-87 (80-87)
6. Mack Talks with Papa in the Kitchen 88-103
7. Supper / Mack & Jesus on the dock 104-114
8. Breakfast of Champions 117-127
9. Mack & Sarayu in the Garden 128-138
10. Jesus & Mack Cross the Lake 139-150
11. Da Judge –Mack & Sophia in the Cave 151-169
12. Mack & Jesus return across the Lake 170-182
13. Mack & Papa talking on the Porch 183-193
14. Mack & Sarayu on the Lake / Dinner with Papa, Sarayu & Jesus 194-208
15. Sarayu & Mack / Gift under the Stars 207-217
16. Papa & Mack take a Hike 220-230
17. Mack Makes a Choice 231-238
18. Outbound Ripples 239-248

The Shack Part II

2009-05-14T10:05:00.004-04:00

WOW!!!
If you missed the lively and insightful discussion of The Shack by William P. Young at our May 13 gathering, mark your calendar.
We have decide to meet again to continue our conversations and debates.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Bluford Library seminar room 256-258.

Many thanks to our two discussion leaders:

Martina Chavis, Senior Development Officer, Division of Development and University Relations
and
John Teleha, Head of Reference, F. D. Bluford Library
Who brought activites, thought provoking questions and insight to the table.
We discovered a bountiful number of discussion points and responses to
The Shack with their help and encouragement.

Title Suggestions

2009-05-01T15:36:00.004-04:00

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

Anytime I hear about a interesting book or someone suggest a good read... I will post it.

Late Spring Read

2009-04-20T09:50:00.005-04:00

We have selected our next read
The Shack by William P. Young

Mark your calendar...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 12:30pm -1:30pm

I am in the process of getting a club set to loan.
So.....stay tuned for my update

What do you think

2009-03-27T11:20:00.008-04:00

These are some of the suggestions for future reads

The Shack by William P. Young
Early in the novel the young daughter of the protagonist, Mack, is abducted. Four years later he visits the shack where evidence of the girl’s murder was discovered. He spends a weekend there in a kind of spiritual therapy session with God, who calls herself “Papa”; Jesus, who appears as a Jewish workman; and Sarayu, an indeterminately Asian woman who incarnates the Holy Spirit.
....NewYork Times
Good is not Enough by Keith Wyche
After being passed over twice for advancement, Wyche—now president of U.S. operations for Pitney Bowes Management Services—took a hard look at himself and began to consciously develop his approach, performance and image to better position himself for success. Aimed primarily at helping minorities advance their careers, his book highlights the 12 key lessons he learned—including the importance of personal branding, visibility and staying current as well as identifying potential career killers. Each chapter elaborates on a different skill while relating how Wyche and others managed to overcame specific obstacles. ... Publishers Weekly

Mr. Wyche was the 2008-2009 Closing Bell Speaker for the School of Business and Economics at North Carolina A&T .

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."--Randy Pausch
Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium on CMU campus.
Here is a link to his one hour lecture on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo&feature=related

We took a short winter break …

2009-03-27T10:43:00.007-04:00

Ok… it was longer then expected.
But, we are back in gear and ready to take on the next year.

Starting with a discussion about movies and books. Books we have already read.

This is a really late notice however, let’s get together

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Bluford Library seminar room, 12:30-1:30pm.
Bring your lunch and let’s have our lively conversations about the differences and similarities between Book vs. Movie
The Secret Life of Bees …
This was our feature book in Fall 2006
And bring a friend.

The DVD is available at:
Bluford Library… A&T Reserve PS3611.I44 S382 2008
Red Box at Harris Teeter
WalMart and many other retailers.

Also, if you have HBO don’t forget to watch The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency ,
Sunday, March 29, 8pm . Staring Jill Scott
Remember…. we read the first three books of Alexander McCall Smith’s series in Fall 2007

2009-02-04T11:52:00.001-05:00

Summer 2008 Read

2008-07-23T08:48:00.011-04:00

Join us Wednesday, August 27, 2008 F.D. Bluford Library, Seminar room 256-258, 12:30pm

More "The Tipping Point" information....
http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html

"Accepting diversity or delving outside of your accepted social boundaries and embracing different circumstance absolutely contribute to happiness".

Here is a link to Malcolm Gladwell's speech on TED Talks 2004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIiAAhUeR6Y

Gladwell, a New Yorker staff writer, offers an incisive and piquant theory of social dynamics that is bound to provoke a paradigm shift in our understanding of mass behavioral change. Defining such dramatic turnarounds as the abrupt drop in crime on New York's subways, or the unexpected popularity of a novel, as epidemics, Gladwell searches for catalysts that precipitate the "tipping point," or critical mass, that generates those events. What he finds, after analyzing a number of fascinating psychological studies, is that tipping points are attributable to minor alterations in the environment, such as the eradication of graffiti, and the actions of a surprisingly small number of people, who fit the profiles of personality types that he terms connectors, mavens, and salesmen. As he applies his strikingly counterintuitive hypotheses to everything from the "stickiness," or popularity, of certain children's television shows to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Gladwell reveals that our cherished belief in the autonomy of the self is based in great part on wishful thinking. Donna Seaman-BookList

Enjoy

Summer 2008

2008-07-11T16:27:00.014-04:00

OH MY!..... summer is upon us.

This summer by popular demand we will be reading a Non-Fiction title.

Join us Wednesday, August 27, 2008
F.D. Bluford Library , Seminar room no. 256-258
Bring your lunch, thoughts and questions about ......

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell (2002).

On The New York Times bestsellers list for over a 150 weeks. Gladwell puts an interesting twist on the simple notions of cause and effect. He explores the question: Fads and epidemics, what do they have in common?
The 2002 edition has a afterwards by the author that connects the Tipping Point lessons to a real world library system. Enjoy :-)

Find the Tipping Point in Bluford Library

A&T Stacks- HM 1033.G53 2000
or
A&T Reserves- HM 1033.G53 2002

Fall 2008 teaser.......
Can you tell a book by its movie?

Ponder Poetry

2008-07-11T16:01:00.006-04:00

In the spring, Lunch and Literature “Pondered Poetry” in honor of National Poetry Month and part of Bluford Library’s National Library Week celebration, April 14 -18, 2008

I was a little apprehensive about doing poetry for Lunch and Literature however, this worked out smoothly. There was not much preparation as in; time to read a book, taking notes, and come up with thought provoking questions.

I just sent out the word for each attendant to bring their favorite poem from well known and not so well known Black poets for a lunch time read aloud.

Below is a list of the poems presented at our gathering.

We're Back.....

2008-04-10T08:58:00.007-04:00

Lunch and Literature is back...
in the swing for spring.

In honor of National Library Week and National Poetry Month we will read, listen to, and ponder poetry. Specifically African American poetry.

Bring your lunch and your favorite poem by a black poet for sharing, and lively discussion.

Also we have extra copies of Black Poets By Dudley Randall to loan to Lunch and Literature participants.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 . 12:30 p.m. to 1:30p.m. F.D. Bluford Library, 2nd floor seminar room.

Your comments are welcome.

2007-12-13T18:08:00.002-05:00

This fall semester the Lunch and Literature Program took a different turn from the traditional way we usually appreciate the literary experience and tackled a new format. Instead of reading our selected titles, we listened to them via our desktop, lap top or Mp3 players and Netlibrary eAudiobooks.
Netlibrary eAudiobooks is one of the many resources offered through F. D. Bluford Library. Participants downloaded the first three books (nine in all) of the unabridged series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.
Smith’s main character, Mma Ramotswe, captured our attention with her wit wisdom and unconventional ways of solving a mystery. In addition, we discovered there is a movie in the making, base on Smith’s series due out in 2008. Sounds like a field trip!
Dr. David Johnson one of the Lunch and Literature participants from the Sociology department donated a set of the first three books of the series to the library.
Thank you, Dr. Johnson
Even though most participants preferred to read the printed version than to listen to the books read to them, the majority said they would use eAudiobooks again for Lunch and Literature program.

Reminder....

2007-11-29T10:53:00.000-05:00

Ok Aggies ....
Start your eAudiobook NOW!!!... so you will have time to listen to the whole book by next Wednesday ;-]

Download
"Morality for Beautiful Girls" by Alexander McCall Smith via NetLibrary eAudiobooks

I will see you Wednesday, December 5, 2007
12:30 to 1:30p.m.
Bluford Library, Seminar room 258

How To.....

2007-11-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

How to access Lunch and Literature eAudiobooks

1. Go the Bluford Library’s homepage http://www.library.ncat.edu/
~ Click the catalog portal
~ Do a title search for the desired book. “ The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency”
~ Follow the link to access the downloadable audio book.

2. Create a free account with netLibrary(upper right hand corner).
~ Click download this eaudiobook
~Check Out & Download (CD quality for broadband/radio quality for dial up)
~ The audiobook should open with Window Media Player 9, or above

Net Library eAudiobooks is not compatible with itunes/ipods

2007-10-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

Lunch and Literature …..Audio version

Pump up the volume….
Man your computer stations-desktops, laptops or mp3 players; Lunch and Literature is going audio. This fall we will be listening to our book selections via
NetLibrary eAudiobooks accessible through F.D. Bluford Library.

The infamous eAudiobooks series by Alexander McCall Smith, The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency will be our first installment.

Alexander McCall Smith’s character, Mma Ramotswe, is Botswana's one and only lady private detective. She has captured millions of readers with her wit, wisdom and unconventional ways of solving a mystery. This series will not only entertain but explore the conditions, culture and customs of Botswana, Africa.

Mark your calendars and bring your lunch to each of our lively book discussions at Bluford Library’s seminar room 258, 12:30p.m.
October 24, The No.1 Ladies’ Detective agency
November 15, Tears of the Giraffe
December 5, Morality for Beautiful Girls

No excuses. You don’t need the book. The entire campus community has access.
For more information contact: Cass Plater, ceplater@ncat.edu, 336.334.7159

Lunch and Literature

2007-07-21T14:51:00.000-04:00

Join in on the fun.
Bring your brown bag lunch, sit down at a large, long table and chat about a selected book.
Enjoy lively, intellectual, and honest discussion about the selected book. The gathering are held in Bluford Library's seminar room 258. Meeting time varies from month to month, however, we always meet from 12:30 to 1:30pm.

Here is a list of the books we have discussed in the past:

The Known World / Edward Jones
The Secret Life of Bees / Sue Monk Kidd
The Color of Water: a black man’s tribute to his white Mother/ James McBride
The Darkest Child / Delores Phillip
The Crystal Vaz / Hoyt Phifer an Aggie
The Covenant with Black America / Tavis Smiley (Text in Community)

For more information contact Cass Plater- ceplater@ncat.edu