Book of the Week (November 30, 2009)

On Display in the Library lobby. Stop by the Library and check out the Anime exhibit!

Call Number: NC1766.J3 D73 2003

Anime explosion! : the what? why? & wow! of Japanese animation

By Patrick Drazen

Publisher's Description: Suddenly anime is . . . exploding. But where did Japanese animation come from, and what does it all mean? Written for fans, culture watchers, and perplexed outsiders, this is an engaging tour of the anime megaverse, from older arts and manga traditions to the works of modern directors like Miyazaki and Otomo. Read about anime standbys like giant robots, samurai, furry beasts, high school heroines, and gay/girl/fanboy love-even war and reincarnation, plus all of anime's major themes, styles, and conventions. At the end of the book are essays on 15 of fandom's favorite anime, including Evangelion, Esca-flowne, Sailor Moon, and Patlabor.

"A good resource and guide to the foundation, historical development and overall themes in Japanese animation and serves as an excellent reference source whether you are an established fan or a person who wants to learn about the cultural aspects of this specific and increasingly popular genre. It is an easy yet thorough read on the myriad of societal aspects and cultural references Japanese animation holds." — Active Anime

ABI Inform Complete Added to Library's Business Databases

Two new components have been added to ABI Inform, one of the Library's business databases.

ABI/INFORM DatelineSearch a unique resource focusing on hard-to-find local and regional business news coverage of large corporations, privately held companies, local start-ups, executive profiles, marketing, finance, and industry news. Provides access to business information not typically found in national news sources. Contains news and analysis, information on local markets, and more gathered from major business tabloids, magazines, daily newspapers, wire services, and city, state, and regional business publications.

ABI/INFORM Trade & IndustrySearch more than 1200 business periodicals with a trade or industry focus. Provides users with the latest industry news, product and competitive information, marketing trends, and a wide variety of other topics. Contains publications on every major industry, including finance, insurance, transportation, construction, and many more.

Both are located in the ABI Inform Complete (Proquest) database, and are listed in the Business and Communication categories under “Article Databases by Subject”. The new additions are funded through the UW System/Council of UW Libraries.

Item of the Week (November 16, 2009)

New DVD series in the IMC - check at the desk on the 3rd floor of the Library
Call Number: E 160 .N246 2009

The National Parks: America's Best Idea
A Film by Ken Burns

PBS description of the series: The National Parks: America's Best Idea is a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. As such, it follows in the tradition of Burns's exploration of other American inventions, such as baseball and jazz.

The narrative traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years. Using archival photographs, first-person accounts of historical characters, personal memories and analysis from more than 40 interviews, and what Burns believes is the most stunning cinematography in Florentine Films' history, the series chronicles the steady addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them and save them from destruction. It is simultaneously a biography of compelling characters and a biography of the American landscape.

For more information visit the PBS website and their accompanying guide For Educators.

Book of the Week (November 9, 2009)

Available at the Library in both print and audio!
Ask at the Main Circulation desk for the audio version.

Call Number: DS371.412 .S73 2009

Horse Soldiers: the Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers who rode to Victory in Afghanistan

By Doug Stanton

Publisher's Description: Horse Soldiers is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators, and overjoyed Afghans thronged the streets. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of six hundred Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed. Dangerously outnumbered, they fought for their lives. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: if the soldiers perished or were captured, the effort to defeat the Taliban might be doomed.

Until now the full story of the Horse Soldiers has never been told. Doug Stanton received unprecedented cooperation from the U.S. Army's Special Forces soldiers and Special Operations helicopter pilots, as well as access to voluminous after-battle reports. In addition, he interviewed more than one hundred participants and walked every inch of the climactic battleground. Reaching across the cold mountains of Afghanistan and into the homes of small-town America, Horse Soldiers is a big-hearted and thrilling epic story from one of our preeminent storytellers.

New York Times Book Review of Horse Soldiers