genres | Eleventh Stack

Once or twice before, I have talked about and even challenged you to read outside your comfort zone. Just to let you know that we’re not all talk and no action here at the library, I want to share with you a project my First Floor colleagues and I are working on. Under the guidance of our fearless leader, each one of us is reading (or at least browsing) a book in each one of the featured genres we have in our First Floor: New & Featured collection. Not to bore you with a list, but just to inform you, those genres are: Bestsellers, New Nonfiction, Biographies, Travel, Cookbooks, New Fiction, World Fiction, Mystery, Paperback Fiction, Romance, Inspirational Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Stories, GLBT, Foreign Language, African American, Science Fiction, Horror, Graphic Series, Graphic Novel, Manga, Graphic Nonfiction, Magazines, and Zines. Whew!

There is a genre selected for each one of our twice monthly staff meetings. Prior to the meeting (sometimes wayyyyyy before) each of us selects a book from that genre and either reads it, or peruses and researches it. We then give each other a 2-3 minute talk about the book. Many of us are finding books we like in areas that we thought we wouldn’t. A few of us are having our biases confirmed. But nevertheless, we are exploring all the genres to help us do our jobs better.

Here are some of the books we’ve discovered so far:

Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? by William Poundstone – The entire book is devoted to the types of questions you may be asked in the new interview style. ʺYou are shrunk to the height of a nickel and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?ʺ Even more interesting than these interview questions are the insights offered into how megalithic super successful companies go about finding the right employee amidst the thousands that line up for these jobs. It turns out that the intelligent and well-educated person isn’t necessarily creative. Also, the word ʺsmartʺ in the title is too general to relate to the specific areas of knowledge Google is courting. Maybe “are you nerdy enough to work at Google” would be better. Poundstone also wrote a book about Microsoft’s hiring process – How Would You Move Mount Fuji? : Microsoft’s Cult of the Puzzle: How the World’s Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers (2003). – Georgia (New Nonfiction)

Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins – The ten short stories in this collection are first and foremost about setting – the West (Battleborn is the nickname of Nevada and the home state of Watkins) is a central character and the Western atmosphere gives a stable, vintage setting to the edgy stories. The author’s life is as interesting as the book – she is the daughter of Charles Manson’s right hand man and a central part of the Manson Family, although he was not involved in the murders. With Battleborn, Watkins won the 2012 Story Prize for outstanding short fiction. The two other finalists were Junot Diaz and Dan Chaon. – Sheila (Short Stories)

The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories by Pete Hamill – An iconic New York writer gives us stories set in Brooklyn, the borough in which he grew up and which represents an important part of his early life. The stories showcase a bygone New York and are filled with nostalgia. The title story is one of the strongest, about a young concentration camp survivor who becomes part of a new and extended family in New York. In ʺLullaby of Birdland,ʺ we meet a musician and the family whose life he inadvertently changes, then disappears. We encounter quirky people and everyday people going about their lives. Most of the stories are very short, originally written for the New York Daily News in an effort to bring short fiction back into newspapers. – Joanne (Short Stories)

Cowboy Lust: Erotic Romances for Women edited by Delilah Devlin – Satisfies the needs of those who are hankering for a good man. All of these cowboys are fit, ruggedly handsome, and in touch with their feelings. (This is ʺfictionʺ, remember!) Everyone gets what they want, and need, in this collection of short stories, even if they didn’t know it was what they wanted in the first place. A quick, light read perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon on the porch. – Melissa (Romance)

Dream When You’re Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg – Set in Chicago during World War II, this nostalgic story focuses on the lives of three sisters who learn to experience wartime life. Food rations, USO dances, new jobs, and letter-writing all become routine tasks for the girls, and their strong caring for each other carries them through these difficult times. Snippets of letters from the soldiers abroad add realistic, heartbreaking twists to this well-crafted tale. – Karen (Historical Fiction)

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton – Opens with a little girl who turns up on a wharf in Australia. She doesn’t know her name or who her parents are–but she does have a little white suitcase and a book of fairy tales by one whom she calls the Authoress. The dockmaster, who found her, raises her and calls her Nell. Decades later Nell’s granddaughter goes on a quest to discover her origins. – Bonnie (Historical Fiction)

The Kissing List by Stephanie Reents – This collection of contemporary short stories explores the age-old philosophical questions, including ʺIs monogamy old-fashioned? Does it count when you’re drunk?ʺ Several of the stories follow young, fancy-free Sylvie, who has lived in London for the past year, kissing, kissing, kissing anyone and everyone. She moves to NYC, tries to be more adult-like, and eventually succeeds – hilarity and debauchery notwithstanding. This is an excellent choice for readers who’ve already read the typical chick-lit, have somewhat matured in their reading tastes, but aren’t ready for Margaret Atwood yet. – Rita (New Fiction)

The Lemon Grove by Ali Hosseini – Hosseini is an Iranian-American who chooses the setting of contemporary Iran with its uncertain politics and government. The story is the personal one of a family that is affected by and reflects upon the problems of the country as a whole. Lyrical writing and highly developed characters give a strong sense of time and place. One twin brother, after being saved, narrates why and how he came to attempt suicide, but returns stronger and tries to renew what has been lost. A great discussion book. – Terry (Inspirational)

The Rise of Rome by Anthony Everitt – Although much has been written about Rome’s decline and fall, it’s beginning is just as interesting. Born as a market town between the eighth and seventh century B. C. (according to legend founded by the twin brothers Romulus & Remus) Rome soon grew into one big bloody empire. Noteworthy is the way the Romans treated those they conquered (they invited them to be Romans), the duel between the plebeians and the patricians and the fall of the Republic. Famous people also make themselves known: Julius Ceasar, Cato the Elder, Cicero, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal twice. It’s fun! It’s educational! It’s Rome! – John (New Nonfiction)

Russian Travel Made Easier: Advice for Friends by Elena Istomina & Natalia Khrystolubova – A new take on the travel guide, particularly for the traveller who has a dream destination that is somewhat forbidding, whether for language, culture, or exoticism. This is a guide to Russia written by two Russians who are very familiar with the United States and its norms and customs, and who are driven by their desire to introduce Russia to U.S. (and other) travelers who might be unsure where to begin. The guide is succinct and answers very fundamental questions, leaving it to the more traditional travel guides to post the hours of the Hermitage and other popular tourist locations. An insider’s view on how to get there and experience a more authentic Russia, consider it a necessary supplement to any travel guide to Russia. It’d be really nice to have something of the sort for every other country out there as well. – Miguel (Travel)

Signet Classic Book of Southern Short Stories edited by Dorothy Abbott and Susan Koppelman – Nice selection of the usual suspects – Faulkner, O’Connor, Capote – but also women and writers of color, including McCullers, Walker, Hurston, as well as a fair number of lesser-known writers. This, and the fact that the works span 200 years, makes for a great range of material. – Jude (Paperback Fiction)

The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya – Picture a barren, bleak, battered nation after a cataclysmic event that nearly utterly destroyed civilization. Also, it is Russia. And there are great beasts in the wilderness waiting to eat anything that moves. This is where our hero, Benedikt, labors to transcribe and preserve old books. There’s no prestige in the work, but at least he doesn’t suffer from any mutations and has thus far avoided execution for being a Freethinker. – Connie (World Fiction)

Some Like it Hot by K.J. Larsen – Cat DeLuca works for her deranged, but lovable, high school classmate at his Chicago PI agency. When he is murdered, it is up to her to avenge his death. Both cheeky and thrilling- this is a fun murder mystery! – Holly (Mystery)

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis – Each of the 12 chapters corresponds to one or more of Hattie’s 12 children, struggling for a better life in the non-Jim Crow north. This is a fictional companion to Isabel Wilkerson’s knockout non-fiction The Warmth of Other Suns, a history of the African-American diaspora of early 20th century America. Hattie loses her first two babies to illness and loses her love of life at the same time. Things are never really better outside of Georgia, but each child must find his own way, leaving Hattie and her misery (of which there is plenty) behind. – Jane (New Fiction)

Wrestling Reality: The Life and Mind of Chris Kanyon, Wrestling’s Gay Superstar by Chris Kanyon and Ryan Clark – Chris Kanyon was a popular wrestler in WCW and WWE, debuting in 1994 and semi-retiring in 2004. Throughout the height of his career, he remained closeted and went to great lengths to remain so. He suffered several injuries in the early 2000s and, during one hospital stay, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His career took a downward turn when he discussed coming out as a gay wrestler without succumbing to playing a stereotyped character. He stayed active in gay causes and independent wrestling in his final years. Tragically, he took his own life shortly before the release of this book. – Rick (GLBT)

So if you are having trouble reading outside your usual “box,”why not do it in a group? Gather up some friends or co-workers and agree to read a book in a particular genre. You can all read the same book, or mix it up and all read a different one, like we’re doing. You never know what pleasant surprises wait on those shelves just outside your reach.

-Melissa M.

Today is the day! Click here to learn how you can support the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh through the Pittsburgh Foundation’s Day of Giving.

Long, long ago, back in the late twentieth century, this library hired me to be a humble audiovisual clerk – but now it’s over a decade later, and I’m a much less humble film librarian. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about movies and even more about our collection. So if you come in and ask me for a recommendation, don’t be surprised if I start pulling things off the shelves left and right.

How can I choose so accurately? Where do I get my amazing speed? Do I really have such vast and encyclopedic knowledge of innocuous romantic comedies? (Hell, no.)

Here’s the secret: I don’t even bother to read the titles; I just look at the fonts. You can learn to do it, too!

Let’s start with an easy one. This is obviously a selection of horror films. What do they all have in common? Well, there’s an awful lot of red and black. And dripping blood. And BIG SHAKY SCARED CAPITAL LETTERS. One look at these and you know what you’re gonna get. In the case of Night of the Lepus, it’s killer rabbits and Dr. McCoy. No, really.

Another easy one, to make sure you’re getting the hang of this. Below is a collection of fine westerns. I think you’ll agree that none of these fonts would look out of place on a saloon sign. They’re big, they’re bold, they’re confident, and they’ll take no prisoners – but they’re also quite upright, so you can be sure they’ll have your daughter back before curfew.

Well, maybe not that scoundrel Take a Hard Ride. That title? Combined with the motion in the letters? There’s a suspicious character for you. (Note: further research indicates that it’s about doing right by your employer. Huh.)

This next grouping requires a little more thought. What do these action films have in common? It’s fairly simple once you know what to look for – the action fonts all have action in them. Usually it’s just an application of italics, but sometimes they get clever, like that shattered Shattered font. That’s nice work.

And The Transporter? It’s a bit less action-oriented, but it’s also a very business-like font. Just like Jason Statham is a very business-like fellow. He’s an independent contractor, you know.

Over here we have science fiction films of a certain character (and for the most part, that character would be bad). These are clearly Fonts of the Future – look at the odd angles and shifting colors. When you see these spines, you know that things are gonna blow up.

Though there is one oddball in this group – that would be Pandorum. It’s a nice blend of Font of the Future and horror-film-red, which makes perfect sense, as it’s a horror film set IN SPACE.

Now let’s examine a few of those innocuous romantic comedies that I mentioned earlier. Look at those big, round, open, welcoming letters. They just want to give you a nice warm hug (and then marry you – not like that scoundrel Take a Hard Ride). No jarring angles, psychedelic colors, or dripping blood here. None of these movies would offend your mother. She’d probably ask them when they’re going to start giving her sequels.

To keep things on a lighthearted note (Ha!) we’ll turn our attention to a collection of musicals. These musicals are very…exuberant. Zesty, energetic, full of life and action. The titles bound across the spines like the musical numbers barely contained within. You’re bound to get an annoying upbeat tune stuck in your head for weeks after watching one of these gems.

Let’s bring your hopes crashing down to earth with this next set of DVDs – they’re all Serious Business. The letters are very bold, and there’s not a lot of space between them. The colors are clear and distinct.

Heck, three of these movies are so serious that they don’t even bother to center their titles. They’ve got way more important things on their minds. Just look at Good Night, and Good Luck. The spine’s mostly black! You can’t get much more serious than that.

But since I don’t want to bring you down too much, we’ll end with a collection of comedies. Colors, fonts, spacing, they’re all over the place! You may not think these movies are fun, but they sure think they are.

If these movies were your friends, your parents would let them sleep over but they would refuse to let them come on your family vacation. They’re just exhausting. (And Weird Science would totally trash that beachfront rental home.)