Lost in the Stacks

I recently discovered that U-M got a newish audiobook provider, EBSCO Audiobooks. In honor of my belated discovery I wanted to talk about this format. In this post I will go through my exploration of the medium and give some tips and tricks for trying out audiobooks. I hope you will be inspired to try them yourself!

The June display of Undergraduate Library books in the Shapiro Lobby highlights memoirs by LGBTQ+ authors. Celebrate Pride month by exploring the diverse array of stories presented through these selections.

In this caper novel and satire on the financial world, banker Verity Banks comes up with a plan to steal a billion dollars from the bank's electronic transfers to show her corrupt bosses how easy it is. Her mentor, Zoltan Tor, makes a bet with her, that he can steal a billion dollars before she does, without using a computer. But Verity's bosses have a scheme of their own. Will she defeat them? And can she and Tor deny their feelings for each other? Although first published in 1992, the book anticipates situations that led to the financial crisis of 2008.

The concluding volume of Sandra Gulland's trilogy about Empress Josephine tells of her life during the time of Napoleon's empire and portrays her as a woman very much in love with her husband but heartbroken by her inability to conceive a child by him. He begins to listen to his scheming siblings in their plots to get him to divorce her and marry a young princess so he could have an heir to his empire. This trilogy, taken as a whole, is a masterful work of historical fiction.

The May display of Undergraduate Library books in the Shapiro Lobby focuses on exploring the state of Michigan. We have selected books related to local history, culture, and attractions. If you’re staying in town this summer, considering learning more about our state!

Heresy is the first of a series of mysteries featuring the real-life 16th century philosopher and scientist Giordano Bruno. In 1583 Bruno goes to Oxford to uncover a conspiracy against Queen Elizabeth I. One of the fellows of the college is found dead, and this turns out to be the first in a series of gruesome murders. Will Bruno find the murderer and put an end to the conspiracy against the queen?

The April display of Undergraduate Library books in the Shapiro Lobby is focused on news. We have selected books on journalistic ethics, the impact of social media on news, "fake news," and books about reporting of specific types of events or topics.

This is the second in Sandra Gulland's trilogy about the Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon, following The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., which I reviewed previously. This novel covers the years 1796-1800, which are full of momentous events in Napoleon's life, including his victories in Italy, his Egyptian campaign, and his seizure of power in a coup d'état. Josephine suffers from the hostility of Napoleon's family and her inability to conceive a child by him.

In the latest entry in Alan Bradley's mystery series featuring twelve-year-old chemistry genius Flavia de Luce, Flavia finds the body of a murdered man in the river. It turns out he is the son of a vicar who was hanged for the murder of three of his female parishioners. But was the vicar really innocent?

March is Women's History Month. Celebrate by reading books on women who changed the world. This display includes books about women across time and both famous and not-well-known.