Category Archives: Environmental Issues

Sci-Fi/Future Dystopias: “Oryx and Crake”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood   Snowman (as in Abominable), who was once known as Jimmy, appears to be the last human being on earth. His existence doesn’t seem much worth living–the environment is in ruins and he cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adult Books for Teens: “The Harder They Come”

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

The Harder They Come by T. C. Boyle    A cruise to Central America and a stop in Costa Rica sound like a vacation dream for a middle class retired couple. After all, Costa Rica is supposed to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Throwback Thursday: “The Hot Zone”

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

    The Hot Zone by Richard Preston This nonfiction thriller opens with the story of “Charles Monet,” a Frenchman in Western Kenya who contracts Marburg’s Disease after a visit to Mt. Elgan (between Uganda and Kenya)—a “biological island of rain … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Summer Classic Reread: “Walden”

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Summer Classic Reread: Walden by Henry David Thoreau  Why I wanted to reread it: Walden is one of the great American classics because it speaks about nature, individualism, and creating a life philosophy. I think a lot about nature (actually, … Continue reading →

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Have a Listen: “Feed”

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Feed by M. T. Anderson    “Everyone is supersmart now. You can look things up automatic, like science and history, like if you want to know which battles of the Civil War George Washington fought in and shit.” I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sci-Fi: “Ship Breaker”

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi  In the aftermath of environmental apocalypse, in the world of ship breaking on the Gulf Coast, Nailer survives by pulling copper wire from grounded oil tankers. He, like everyone else he knows, is looking for … Continue reading →

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Adult Books for Teens: Common Core: “Creation”

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

    Creation: How Science is Reinventing Life Itself by Adam Rutherford Here’s a book title that I was surprised to find is not hyperbole. Science really is creating new life forms. Rutherford doesn’t mean cloning life forms we know. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Common Core and Nonfiction: Adult Books for Teens: “Stiff”

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach   “The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back.”—The opening sentence … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Adult Books for Teens: Memoir: “Wild”

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Wild by Cheryl Strayed   In her prologue, Strayed describes losing her hiking boots—yes, really losing them , knocked over the side of a mountain—in the middle of her quest to hike 1,100 of the 2,663 miles of the Pacific … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Biography/Memoir, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Girls Don’t Fly”

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Girls Don’t Fly by Kristen Chandler  Family matters, but Myra’s—an older, pregnant sister, four younger rambunctious brothers, and a pair of overworked parents—is so needy that she appears to be on track for martyr of the year. The problem with … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , | 2 Comments