UN TRES BON LIVRE!
Don't be misled by the title! This is NOT a cookbook even though trhere are 50 receipes throughout the book. In Joie de Vivre, Robert Arbor presents the French philosophy on life and argues for its adoption by Americans in a very funny way. This book is very entertaining. As a "below average" French reader, I am able to experience the French way of life without living in France. Excellent book!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Love this book! - Words in a French Life.
LA VIE EN FRANCE!
I REALLY enjoy this book! First I picked up this book because I was captured by the humorous stories; then I was impressed how the author puts her stories and the everyday French words together in a "little book." I love this book. Written by Kristin Espinasse, Words in a French Life is a book about auother's everyday life stories in the southern part of country; yet it is also a book that readers will pick up a word or two of French words - The author inserts the most useful daily French vocabulary in each chapter. I particularly love the descriptions and the "tiny lessons" that the author provides in the book. A reader like me who has a "rustic French" background will be able to brush up French in an "entertaining" and amusing easy way. - it is one of those must-read book.
I REALLY enjoy this book! First I picked up this book because I was captured by the humorous stories; then I was impressed how the author puts her stories and the everyday French words together in a "little book." I love this book. Written by Kristin Espinasse, Words in a French Life is a book about auother's everyday life stories in the southern part of country; yet it is also a book that readers will pick up a word or two of French words - The author inserts the most useful daily French vocabulary in each chapter. I particularly love the descriptions and the "tiny lessons" that the author provides in the book. A reader like me who has a "rustic French" background will be able to brush up French in an "entertaining" and amusing easy way. - it is one of those must-read book.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, Mexican's Independence Day! - Cinco de Maya!
I have to confess that I was not aware the existing of this Latino holiday until I moved to the States and worked at the public library. - Hack! I was NOT a very good librarian back then.
In the "old" day (I mean fifteen, sixteen years ago) when Internet is NOT part of our daily life, books were the only resource to find out information such as "cinco de maya." Nowadays the fastest way to look up for informatuion is just a few clicks on the computer. Here you go, "click, click, click" ... Voila! the history and the meaning of "cinco de maya" pops up on your computer monitor in a second!
The Cinco de Maya history:
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm
The signicance of Cinco de Maya
http://www.mexica.net/literat/Cinco.php
In the "old" day (I mean fifteen, sixteen years ago) when Internet is NOT part of our daily life, books were the only resource to find out information such as "cinco de maya." Nowadays the fastest way to look up for informatuion is just a few clicks on the computer. Here you go, "click, click, click" ... Voila! the history and the meaning of "cinco de maya" pops up on your computer monitor in a second!
The Cinco de Maya history:
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm
The signicance of Cinco de Maya
http://www.mexica.net/literat/Cinco.php
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Book: Laughing without an accent: Adventures of a Global Citizen
Written by Firoozeh Dumas, Laughing without an Accent: Adventures of a Global Citizen is a delightful book. This book actually is built on the author's first book, Funny in Farsi (2003), offering more stories from her life . But it is not quite as homourous as her first book, in my opinion. I think the "problem" is that I love her first book and then when I read her second book, I have more "unreasonable" expectations. Both Firoozeh books are fun to read. The books unveil the differences and commonalities between Iranian culture and the American Culture. - I have lived in different parts of the globe and met so many people who are from all over the places. Some of Firoozeh's immigration experience can relate to what I have experienced - it makes me loud and being sentimental.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Online MLS degrees vs. campus-based MLS degrees
A friend of mine received her online MLS degree a few months ago. After job searching for a few very frustrating months, she asked me whether she should mention that her MLS degree was an online degree on her resume. Frankly speaking, I have no answers. As soon as it is an ALA accredited program, I don't think there is any different between the online and the cmpus-based MLS degrees for the hiring employer. Talking about long distance learning students, there are disadvantages of being an online student.
The challenges are varied - here are some examples:
(1) some "technology-intensive courses particularly with lab, equipment" might not be available to students not on-campus. I still remembered that I had spent hours and hours at the library school lab to work on my assignments. There are things that you cannot work at home, for instance OCLC cataloging and DIALOG databases exercises - those exercises need to be done on campus library lab only.
(2) books for assignments might be very difficult to locate.
(3) lack of personal interaction with your classmates and professors.
My BIGGEST concern of the online program is the academic fraud. So how the unviersity and professors verify who the person is and that person is ACTUALLY doing the work? - I have witnessed a co-worker who is working her online PhD degree in education. One day I ran into her office and noticed that one of her assistants is editing her citations! I am so surprised, no actually I am very disappointed. I am disappointed because it happens under the roof of a higher education institution; I am disappointed because someone misused her "authorization." - Oh well ...
The challenges are varied - here are some examples:
(1) some "technology-intensive courses particularly with lab, equipment" might not be available to students not on-campus. I still remembered that I had spent hours and hours at the library school lab to work on my assignments. There are things that you cannot work at home, for instance OCLC cataloging and DIALOG databases exercises - those exercises need to be done on campus library lab only.
(2) books for assignments might be very difficult to locate.
(3) lack of personal interaction with your classmates and professors.
My BIGGEST concern of the online program is the academic fraud. So how the unviersity and professors verify who the person is and that person is ACTUALLY doing the work? - I have witnessed a co-worker who is working her online PhD degree in education. One day I ran into her office and noticed that one of her assistants is editing her citations! I am so surprised, no actually I am very disappointed. I am disappointed because it happens under the roof of a higher education institution; I am disappointed because someone misused her "authorization." - Oh well ...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
It is MAY!!!! - Stressful graduate students wandering at the library.
The Spring semeter will be over in two weeks. - The weather is so nice outside but so many students come in the library with a stressful look on their faces. They are preparing finals and term papers. Yesterday (Saturday) a graduate student approached the Refernce Desk and said, "I am a graduate student at the Social Welfare Department. It is my second semester but I haven't used the library. I need to submit my term paper on Monday... I do not know how and where to look for information." Oh boy, again, again, and again. Yes graduate school can be very stressful, especially when you DO NOT have a study plan! It is not easy to assist a student to do research in such a short time period - most non-reference books probably are checked out by other students who is working on similar topic. The only hope for the "last minutes" student is the electronic resources and e-journals. I love to help student for their research but NOT happy to be in such a hurry! - I do hope that the graduate school will teach the new coming graduate students a short course on "time management" before they start their classes.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Book: I am Nujood, age 10 and divorced
This is a book about the first child bride in Yeman who win a divorce, but lose her innocent. Nujood's father arranged her to marry a man who is three times of her age just simply because "one less mouth." Nujood was hastily married off just in a few days. Her husband beat her. So Nujood gathered all her strengths to escape her fate. She asked someone to take her to a judge and then she requested a divorce from three different judges. She was asked many intimidating questions, for instance, a judge even asked her, "Are you virgin?" Nujood replied, "No, I am bled." - This book unveils the secret that has destroyed so many lives of young gilrs in Yeman. - it took my breath away.
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