Tag Archives: just for fun

Books, General

Why we should all be reading before bed!

Just in case you needed any encouragement for fitting in some extra bedtime reading, this article from Bustle makes a strong case for the reasons why it’s actually healthy to read before falling asleep. (Although it does note the difference between getting so hooked into your book that you end up reading instead of sleeping, which is not the goal!)

Here are a few reasons from the article regarding why reading before bed is a great idea:

  • Retain more: “When you sleep, your brain dumps all of your short term memory goo into the long term memory goo-reserves (in a manner of speaking). That means that the things you read right before bed stick with you better in the long run.”
  • Calming ritual: “Reading is the perfect kind of ritual: it forces you to lie down and cut out the distractions, it’s quiet, and it doesn’t get boring because you’re always reading something new.”
  • Better focus: “Not only does reading boost your concentration in general, reading before bed will help you concentrate more on whatever it is you’re reading in the moment. You won’t be battling ten thousand other distractions.”
Books, CMLE

Join us in June! New books for CMLE’s Goodreads Book Groups

New month, new books to read in CMLE’s two Goodreads Book Groups! We hope you are able to join us. Maybe you will even be able to find some time to read outside while enjoying the summer sun!

In our CMLE Librarians Enjoying Books group we will be reading The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman.
“The first installment of an adventure featuring stolen books, secret agents and forbidden societies – think Doctor Who with librarian spies!”

 

 

For our CMLE Librarian Professionals group, we’ll read The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.
“With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.”

General

Expand your vocabulary with these interesting words

Library people tend to enjoy words, and this article is definitely a fun read. Kory Stamper, lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries shares seven of her favorite words. Some of the words she discusses are maybe a little over the top to include in daily conversation, but it’s always nice to have the option if you ever need to sound extra impressive!

Here are some of the words from her list (and don’t miss the funny history of “pumpernickel”):

  • Sesquipedalian: “It means “given to using long words,” and it has the added benefit of making its object sound very erudite while also gently poking fun at them.”
  • Salmagundi: “English has many words that mean “mixture,” but none is as fun to say as “salmagundi.”
  • Jawn: “It’s peculiar to Philadelphia where it serves as a colorful substitute for the word “thing.”

 

Books

Check out this list of books for animal lovers!

Do you love animals? How about books with animals in them? Then definitely check out this list from Buzzfeed!

It’s a long list, and includes many classics, children’s books, some nonfiction, and many titles that I’ve enjoyed! Reading books about animals can sometimes be tricky (too emotional, tragic, etc) but this list definitely has your options covered! Some of the books included:

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
“The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket–and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie.”

 

 

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
“Heart-wrenching and humorous, this book is an unflinching account of bereavement and a unique look at the magnetism of an extraordinary beast, with a parallel examination of a legendary writer’s eccentric falconry.”

 

 

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter
“How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world?”
Also – CMLE enjoyed reading this book in our Goodreads book group! Check out our current book here!

 

Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals by Hal Herzog
“This book is a highly entertaining and illuminating journey through the full spectrum of human–animal relations, based on Dr. Herzog’s groundbreaking research.”

 

 

Books, CMLE

Read with CMLE: Goodreads books for May!

Looking for your next great read? We hope you will join us in our CMLE book groups! Take a look at what we will be reading during the month of May:

For our group CMLE Librarian Professionals we will be learning about persistence while reading Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth.
“In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, athletes, students, and business people-both seasoned and new-that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called “grit.” Why do some people succeed and others fail?”

For our fiction group CMLE Librarians Enjoying Books we will be reading The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton.
“Fiona Sweeney wants to do something that matters, and she chooses to make her mark in the arid bush of northeastern Kenya. By helping to start a traveling library, she hopes to bring the words of Homer, Hemingway, and Dr. Seuss to far-flung tiny communities where people live daily with drought, hunger, and disease. Her intentions are honorable, and her rules are firm: due to the limited number of donated books, if any one of them is not returned, the bookmobile will not return.”