Author Archives: Alicia Abdul

A whole other world opened up a few years ago when I started reading some of the exceptionally written young adult nonfiction that was out there, everything from people and issues of the Civil Rights Movement to unsung heroes of World War II and so much more. From there, I started reading and seeking out more nonfiction that make me think or feed my mind. Here are two of my favorites, one recent and one not-so-recent but both exceedingly well-researched as evidenced by the amount of information pouring from their pages.

Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class by Timberg takes the viewpoint that the creative class of people: artists, musicians, writers, innovators are being killed-off because of cultural shifts like the death of the stores/store clerk and libraries/librarians who disseminate culture from their workplaces. The dawn of the internet has poked holes especially in the music industry and how journalists make money. The change in guard from the old writers and poets who collaborated on the doorsteps of colleges and carried the torch. The food for thought explodes in each chapter where he name drops constantly, demonstrating his vast knowledge and making me bookmark plenty of pages to go back and re-read.

The second is A Natural History of the Senses by Ackerman that exudes beauty and precision in its organization. I joke that if I remember even ten percent of what’s within these pages, I would be a hoot at a cocktail party! Each chapter is chosen to highlight each of the five senses and discusses anything that may relate like an odd disease associated with the sense, a scientific shift or research studies about the importance of one, observations about them, and more savory details that the average person couldn’t possibly know. She’s a true professor of sharing this knowledge with the average reader, which is why it’s understandable that it was a national bestseller.

Ever have spans of time where you’re just staring at your TBR pile dreaming of the snowfall, rain, sick kid, or any other opportunity to crack them open? Right now, I’m doing just that. Here’s are the titles that I can’t wait to break open.

Lolita by Nabokov… Because there’s got to be a classic in the pile so that you get jokes and references.

My Salinger Year by Rakoff… Because I’ve discovered the power of nonfiction in the last three years and DEVOUR it, much like my obsession with documentaries.

Ready Player One by Cline… Because even though I rarely see a movie in a theater, I still want to be able to say I read it before it was a movie.

The Rule of Three by Walters… Because action, adventure and the beginnings of a series are like the beginnings of beautiful friendships.

 So excited to be planning her visit coming in just over a month and getting book studies going. If you want to join the conversation, check out the link http://bit.ly/SepetysBookGroup. Two of the most beautifully written books with entirely different settings, atmosphere, and heroines!

As I prepared and executed (pun totally intended) a booktalk for two Forensics classes this week, I got to rehashing all of the great fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels that lend itself to investigating science, from a forensics angle. There are great thrillers like Todd Strasser’s Thrill-ogy and Barry Lyga’s Jasper Dent series. There’s My Friend Dahmer by Backderf written as a graphic novel about the early life of Jeffrey Dahmer and nonfiction like Picking Cotton that pulls apart eyewitness testimony versus DNA as science continually improves. So many great titles, so little time. What’s your favorite?

And, how can they fit into the 2015 Reading Challenge? Well pick a trilogy like Lyga’s or read Backderf’s for the graphic novel. Plus, you can’t get any better than many forensics titles that double as a “lock the door” mystery!

If I’m going to have a blog dedicated to reading, I should probably have a philosophy or at least a vision for what I’m aiming to do. What is it? You’ll soon find out, won’t you?