Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: controversial

Showing posts with label controversial. Show all posts

Responding to 'The Omnivore's Dilemma'

Eating organic, locally-grown food is popular nowadays, but in the new book The Locavore's Dilemma, author Pierre Desrochers defends the globalization of the food chain. Each chapter debunks the arguments that are put forth in books like Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, for example that "locavorism nurtures social capital." Whether or not you agree with these views, this new book definitely provides food for thought! Reserve your copy today at Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library.

Controversial Holocaust humor in new novel 'Hope: A Tragedy'

In the intriguingly-titled novel Hope: A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander, Solomon Kugel relocates his family to an unremarkable rural town in New York in the hopes of starting over. However, he must cope with his depressive mother, a local arsonist, and the discovery of a believed-dead historical specimen hiding in his attic. Booklist describes the book as "riotous and downright sacrilegious satire [that] wildly exceeds expectations" but warns that its irreverent tone may be offensive to some readers.

"Good Christian Bitches" controversial debut novel

New author Kim Gatlin sure hasn't shied away from controversy with her debut novel, titled Good Christian Bitches. In this new book, newly divorced Amanda Vaughn returns to her Texas hometown, where she is targeted by a malicious group of holier-than-thou Christian women who see the rich, single, and sweet-natured Amanda as a rival. When the so-called Christians start attacking Amanda's children, the usually gentle Amanda has had enough. Unsurprisingly, this book has already drawn fire from Christian watchdog groups, but the premise has at least one fan: television network ABC. The book has already been optioned as a TV series pilot, and is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about new releases this season. Reserve it today!

Top 10 Controversial Literary Couples

If your idea of controversial literary couples are Romeo & Juliet or Bella & Edward, buckle your seatbelts! The following ten works of classic literature listed in this article from Flavorwire introduce couples who not only have to overcome family disapproval or species differences (vampire/human), but who deal with class tensions, extreme age difference, extramarital affairs, incest, homosexuality, S&M, and other controversial issues. And remember, each book you read & review in the library's online Summer Reading Club earns you a raffle entry for the prize of the week!

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda