Poetry Readings in the Library, April 26 and 27, 2006

Imagine if you were drafted today and sent to train to fight in a war tomorrow. Yesterday, students heard poet John Musgrave read about his experiences as a teenager fighting in Vietnam. Musgrave served in Vietnam for eleven months. He was permanently disabled and retired from the Marines.

His wife will read her poetry in the library.

Vitale: Living the Dream by Dick Vitale

"It's awesome, baby!" Many basketball fans would recognize that quote, no matter who is trying to perform the horrible impression of the the basketball guru, Dick Vitale. Dickie V as he is sometimes referred to as, is known for his outlandish humor when he commentates a college basketball games for ESPN. But yelling for a camera is not what he is known for. He use to yell at players, because he was a coach for the University of Detroit in the 70's. And later became the head coach of the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. He explains his childhood and how he admired his parents for their hard work and good advice they always were willing to lend. Dick Vitale played basketball in high school, and even though he loved playing the game, his real passion was leading a team, so the interest of coaching kept growing. He eventually became an assistant coach at the local high school and he worked really hard until he was making big money in the NBA. His coaching journey gets into intense detail and even mentions a few scuffles he had with former players. This book is a great source for information on a basketball icon and legend, and even though it has a couple of slow moments, the story remains humorous throughout and has the capability of keeping any basketball fanactic glued. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to have a good time. This book is "awesome baby!" ~ Steven

O Pioneers by Willa Cather

This is a story about Alexandra who lives on the divide in Nebraska near the town of Hanover. Alexandra, who after her father dies, takes control of the homestead and leads her family into prosperity. Emil, her youngest brother, has an opportunity to do what he wants in life. Carl, her childhood friend, comes back from St. Louis on his way to Alaska to look for gold. Her two brothers, Oscar and Lou, oppose Carl because he is poor and they think that Carl wants to marry into wealth. Carl leaves and Emil goes to Mexico. After the long cold winter Emil comes back and he has changed into a man. This story is filled with interesting twists and is very enjoyable.~ Patrick

When Dad Killed Mom by Julius Lester

This is a story about two teenagers who have to deal with the death of their Mother. As Their father sits in jail because he killed her, Jeremy and Jenna are torn between what happen. They both have secrets that could save the family. Since Jeremy was closer to his mom and Jenna to the dad, silence between them got bigger.~ LeAnna

Killing for Company by Brian Masters

The book I read was called Killing for Company. It was about a man named Dennis Nilsen. He killed a total of 15 men and had tried to kill others but didn't. The killing's started in 1978 and ended in 1983. Throughout this book, Dennis describes to his therapist what he had done to the bodies and why he had killed them. ~ Ernie

The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce’s tale of the circle of magic is continued in this novel. Sandry, Daja, Tris, and Briar are once again re-united after their long time apart. They now have the ability to reconnect the circle spun by Sandry in the first book except for one problem. They don’t want each other in their minds. Briar doesn’t want his sisters to see the horror of the war, Daja doesn’t want the others to know she loved the man who betrayed her and Sandry and Tris have their own reasons. Without the circle they cannot use each others powers and consequently cannot do their best work. However, the empress of Namorn is plotting Sandry’s kidnap and forced marriage. The four will have to work together to defeat the powerful empress. The question is: How much do they have to work together? Will they have to turn their minds into one? If they do, will they reforge the circle, or say goodbye to the sister they love? This book is an excellent conclusion to one of many amazing series by fantasy writer Tamora Pierce. –Carmen 10

Riding With the Blue Moth by Bill Hancock

Bill Hancock is the director of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. When his son, Will, was killed in an airplane crash that took the lives of members of the Oklahoma State Basketball team, he could not handle his grief. He decided to ride his bicycle across the United States. This is a journal of his encounters with heat, dogs, motorists and a pesky blue moth.~Martha

The Odyssey by Homer

Odyssey by Homer is an exciting adventurous tale about Odysseus and a long hard voyage home. Odysseus goes through many fun and suspenseful events which make him a stronger and wiser person. From an evil witch to a Giant Cyclopes, I am certain that anyone up for an exciting and challenging read would enjoy this book. I highly recommend reading The Odysses by Homer.~Kristine

The Dark Half by Stephen King

I read a book called the Dark Half and it was a really interesting book. I recommend it to everyone because the story is amazing. The book is about a boy named Thad Beaumont that has seizers and no one knows what was causing them. One day his mom took him to the hospital and they did surgery. In his brain they saw an eye, a tooth and the doctors said it was a twin unborn. His name was George Stark. George was a character that Thad had made up for his books. One day George started to kill people and it all pointed to Thad because their finger prints were the same. George wants Thad dead and eventually George goes after people that Thad knows and he kills them. The only way George can live is through Thad and George does not want to be dead. When George gets a hold of Thads family, Thad kills George. The evil is gone and George is no longer his dark half. This story is great, so read Stephen King’s The Dark Half.-Kristena

Tom Loves Anna Love Tom by Bruce Clements

This is a sweet story about young love and strong friendship. Tom lives in a small town with nothing but lots of work to do. However, one day a young girl comes into town to visit for the summer. Tom falls in love at first site and decides that Anna is the one for him. Tom meets Anna who at first is very quiet, but as time goes on Tom learns a lot about Anna and some family secrets. This story is exciting, fun and a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend Bruce Clements' novel, Tom Loves Anna Loves Tom.~ Kristine

Candide by Voltaire

Candide, or optimism in French, is the name of a young man in this novel. Even though it was written in 1759, it still is an interesting read for today. At an early age Candide is taught that he lives in the " the best of all possible worlds," and he clings to this belief through a series of funny adventures that dramatically disprove that this precept is wrong over and over. ~ Anna

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In this fictional utopian society, everything in Jonah’s world is perfect. There is no hunger, poverty, or war. Everything needed is provided for the people and all the tough decisions are made by the elders. The selecting of spouses and assigning of children to parents are all carefully decided to ensure compatibility and the happiness of the people. The only thing that Jonah has to worry about is his new role as the next Giver. The memories and training he receives by the previous Giver leads Jonah to a new way of viewing his world. Only Jonah can decide what to do with the truth.

This novel is truly unique and inspiring that I recommend to everyone. Each person who reads it will find a different aspect that changes the way they think and view their own world. ~Anna