Library Newsletter - October 2022
Hispanic Heritage Month
“Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.” (hispanicheritagemonth.org)
The library has a special display featuring a wide range of books that delve into Hispanic and Latino cultures.
The New York Times is dedicated to helping people understand the world through on-the-ground, expert, and deeply reported independent journalism. Register for full access to news, multimedia, archives, and apps. Select Clovis Community College and create a personal account to log in to nytimes.com.
Digital Newspapers through the Library
The L.A. Times is a leading source of national and international breaking news, entertainment, sports, politics, and more. Available through our Proquest Database with comprehensive coverage back to 1985. The detailed indexing helps you quickly find the news information you need.
¡Léelo en español!
Read it in Spanish!
Do you speak Spanish? Whether you are a native speaker or a Spanish language learner, enrich your language experience by exploring our books in Spanish. This library section has fiction and non-fiction for you to enjoy. Our fiction selection includes famous Hispanic authors such as Isabel Allende, Laura Esquivel, and Sandra Cisneros, plus best-selling authors translated into Spanish such as Stephen King and Suzanne Collins. In non-fiction you will find biographies, history, self-help, and more.
LIBRARIAN OF THE MONTH:
Brooke Ramos
Why did you want to be a librarian? I’m really curious and I have always loved learning and researching. In college, I was the one my friends came to when they needed help finding resources and information for their assignments. When I found out what librarians did, I realized I was already doing it and loved it. So I eventually went to library school.
What is your favorite part of the job? Helping students with their research projects and assignments.
Master of Library & Information Sciences - Drexel
Bachelor of Arts in History & Political Science - UCLA
What are you doing when you're not at work? Reading (of course!), knitting, cooking, hiking, and traveling.
Favorite books:
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
The Wayfarers Series by Becky Chambers
Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
New Books
Bad Girls: A Novel
by Camila Sosa Villada
translated by Kit Maude
Imbuing reality with the magic of a dark fairy tale, Bad Girls offers an intimate, nuanced portrait of trans coming-of-age that captures a universal sense of the strangeness of our bodies.
The Book of Explanations
by Tedi López Mills
translated by Robin Myers
From one of Mexico's premier poets comes a hybrid, genre-defying book of essays following the unusual and surprising complexities of everyday life.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water: A Novel
by Angie Cruz
A tense but poignant novel about a 56-year-old Dominican woman struggling with motherhood, acceptance, and loss in the midst of the 2009 Great Recession.
Invasion of the Spirit People: A Novel
by Juan Pablo Villalobos
translated by Rosalind Harvey
Gastón, an empathetic agriculturist, runs a small market garden in a world where the future belongs to the migrant, the outsider, and the foreigner. Long live our alien masters!
Sacrificio: A Novel
by Ernesto Mestre-Reed
Set in 1990s Cuba, Mestre-Reed’s historical fiction tells the story of teenage Rafa’s gradual involvement with counter revolutionaries planning a violent overthrow of the Castro government during a visit from Pope John Paul II.
Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood
by Danny Trejo with Donal Logue
In his memoir, Danny Trejo recounts his life story of heroin addiction, heists, incarceration, then finding sobriety and spirituality leading to his eventual career playing a Hollywood bad guy and being a hero to the recovery community.
Eyes that Speak to the Stars
by Joanna Ho
Illustrated by Dung Ho
From the author and illustrator of “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners,” comes an uplifting narrative about a boy who discovers that his eyes tell a story that gives him courage to be himself.
Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us
by Emma Loewe
Alongside beautiful four-color illustrations that inspire us all to get outside (in big and small ways), this stunning book will appeal to anyone looking to connect with the natural world around us.
Brave Every Day
by Trudy Ludwig
Illustrated by Patrice Barton
When an anxious classmate asks for help, Camila discovers that her heart is bigger than her fears. A lovely tale about managing anxiety and finding the courage to stand up for yourself and others.
The Man Who Tasted Words: A Neurologist Explores the Strange and Startling World of Our Senses
by Guy Leschziner
Leschziner leads readers through the five senses and how our brain understands or misunderstands the world around us. The cases he shares are extreme, but they teach us how our lives and what we perceive as reality are both ultimately defined by the complexities of our nervous systems.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau: A Novel
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
narrated by Gisela Chípe
This reimagining of H.G. Wells’s The Island of Doctor Moreau combines science fiction with the historical Caste War of Yucatán. Carlota Moreau, daughter of a controversial scientist who creates human-animal hybrids, lives a luxurious life away from the conflict in Yucatán until a young man arrives who causes a dangerous chain reaction.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel
by Gabrielle Zevin
narrated by Jennifer Kim
Sam and Sadie meet as kids in the hospital and bond over video games. When they reconnect as young adults and collaborate on a gaming project that launches the pair to fame and riches, they navigate friendship, love, loss, betrayal, and sexism in the industry. This story about friends—often in love, but never lovers—examines identity, disability, miscommunication, and redemption.
Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir
by Erika L. Sánchez
narrated by the author
In this hard-hitting memoir, poet and novelist Sánchez speaks frankly about her bouts with depression; her childhood in Cicero, just west of Chicago; and her search for meaningful relationships. A personal, funny, compassionate, and moving memoir that leaves you feeling like you’ve been chatting with a good friend.
Phasers on Stun!: How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World
by Ryan Britt
Star Trek expert Britt takes a deep dive into the history and cultural impact of the mighty franchise, still thriving 56 years after its debut in 1966. Longtime Trek fans and those new to the fandom will find it to be a thoroughly entertaining and informative read.
Love that Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life
by Jonathan Van Ness
Van Ness discusses topics including body positivity, healing and grief, personal style, tales from the hair salon, overcoming imposter syndrome, and issues surrounding systemic racism, cannabis reform, LGBTQ rights and HIV/AIDS awareness.
Siren Queen: A Novel
by Nghi Vo
Inspired by Asian American film star Anna May Wong, who couldn’t escape Hollywood’s racist typecasting, Vo’s fantasy and historical fiction novel features a protagonist whose motto is “No maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers.” Her demands come at a price in this magical novel where those in charge are literal monsters and demonic deals are real.
The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie
by Carla Valentine
Explore the history of forensic science through Agatha Christie’s mysteries. A forensic pathologist illuminates how Christie wove early crime-detection knowledge into her works by examining her use of fingerprints, firearms, toxicology, and more. This is a must-read for any fan and a must-own for any mystery writer.
I’m Glad My Mom Died
by Jennette McCurdy
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by TV star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor--including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother--and how she retook control of her life.
