Adult Readers' Advisory: Week Twelve Prompt

For your prompt this week, please complete the Readers' Advisory Matrix, found on the last page of the reading title RA Guide to Nonfiction in Oncourse Resources, about a non-fiction book you have read. If you have not read a non-fiction book recently, feel free to use some of the techniques on how to "read" a book in five minutes such as Mary Chelton's handouts or any others we have covered to get a feel for a non-fiction book. I look forward to reading these!

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

By Mary Roach

Where is the book on the narrative continuum? A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose)

What is the subject of the book? Space travel, specifically the affect that life in outer space has on human beings. Includes history of human space travel, current research into space travel, and what might happen in the future, especially on a manned mission to Mars.

What type of book is it? It is primarily a work of first-person reporting. 

Articulate Appeal

What is the pacing of this book? It has a quick pace. 

Describe the characters of the book? The author is a main character. She inserts herself into many different scenarios related to astronaut training. Other characters are astronauts, both the brave test pilots who became the first astronauts and the more scientific-minded modern astronauts, and the men and women who support astronauts and their missions. 

How does the story feel? It is exciting and interesting. It's written in a very friendly, accessible style, and it feels conversational and funny.

What is the focus of the story? The story focuses on what will have to be considered on a manned mission to Mars, and how that mission will affect humans in a variety of different ways.

Does the language matter? While the book is written in a conversational and often humorous style, the language is not particularly notable.

Is the setting important and well described? The settings are important; Roach shows the various places and ways that astronauts train and scientists experiment to hypothesize what will happen to humans spending a long time in space. These settings are well described.

Are there details and, if so, of what? There are many details about the human body and mind, and the effect that space has on it, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The book includes many physiological and psychological details.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? The book includes a few photographs, which are clear and complement the material well.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? There are moments of all three in the book. "Packing for Mars" including facts about space travel, understanding of what it is like to be in space, and experiences of people who have experienced life in outer space.

Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)? 1. Tone 2. Learning and understanding 3. Characters 4. Details

Jenny's Take: I know that we don't have to write any kind of review, but I just want to highly recommend "Packing for Mars" to anybody who is interested in space travel, aerospace history, or weird facts (I know a lot about going to the bathroom in zero-g after reading this book). It's incredibly entertaining and there are so many interesting aspects to space travel that are covered in this book. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time. 

Adult Readers Advisory: "Telegraph Days" by Larry McMurtry

Telegraph Days
By Larry McMurtry

Synopsis: After her father commits suicide, Nellie Courtright lives her exciting life in the Old West. She becomes the telegraph lady in little Rita Blanca, where her brother Jackson takes down the entire Yazee gang; meets Wyatt Earp and his brothers; works for Buffalo Bill Cody; has a ringside seat at the shootout at the O.K. Corral; and more. It's an epic tale of one woman watching the changing landscape of the West.

Western Elements:

Pacing: "Telegraph Days" has a leisurely pace, despite spanning many years of Nellie's life. It reads as a recollection of Nellie's adventures, with lots of asides and reflections, and less description of exciting events like shootouts and train robberies. Part of that may also have to do with Nellie's no-nonsense style of speaking; she's blunt and doesn't get excited easily.

Frame & Setting: The mythical old West of stories and movies is the setting for "Telegraph Days," and while Nellie visits many real places, such as Dodge City and North Platte, Nebraska, a good chunk of the action takes place in Rita Blanca, which, while being a real place, is "No-Man's Land" during the story - a place not claimed by any state. The book is set in a more solid time and place than many Westerns, but Nellie's descriptions of her surroundings makes the rough landscape its own character nonetheless.

Story Line: The story of "Telegraph Days" is, at its core, Nellie learning to not only survive, but thrive in the Wild West, along with a parallel story of the way that the Wild West went from being wild to being the stuff of myth, thanks to books and movies. This feels different from the typical Westerns. The traditional heroes and villains are made to be supporting characters in the drama of Nellie Courtright's life, and Nellie gives the reader an inside scoop. It's serves as a commentary on, or loving spoof of, traditional Westerns.

Characterization: Nellie is not a typical female Western character, neither a fallen woman with a heart of gold nor a good woman who stands by her man. She's more complicated than that. She isn't pure, and has dalliances with many different men during the course of the novel. She's a good woman, but she's also tough. She isn't exactly a typical Western hero in skirts either, though she does share some characteristics - she's a loner and a wanderer, though she doesn't administer justice or right wrongs. She's an active player in many big events described in the novel, many of which are events that take on mythical qualities, but she's usually working behind the scenes. Nellie can't quite be called a feminist heroine, but she certainly casts some light on the women behind the men described in Westerns.

Tone & Mood: "Telegraph Days" skims the surface of a lot of events without going in depth, which gives it a breezy feel. It's also funny, often darkly so. There is a nostalgia to the book, as any good Western should have, but it's a nostalgia that's tinged with sarcasm and droll commentary.

Style & Language: "Telegraph Days" is told in the straightforward tone of Nellie Courtright - sometimes shockingly so. The book is no-nonsense about everything, from descriptions of people and places to Nellie's forthright discussions of sex. There is a staccato feel to the dialogue, and the whole book feels gritty and frank.

Read-Alikes: Readers who enjoyed the Western setting and female protagonist of "Telegraph Days" may enjoy "True Grit" by Charles Portis, which also features a no-nonsense female protagonist (albeit a teenage one). "The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick deWitt is also a Western novel with a darkly funny tone. The books of Elmer Kelton, such as "The Day the Cowboys Quit," are Westerns that take place in the same transitional time period as "Telegraph Days." Pat Conroy's novels of the South, such as "The Prince of Tides" have a similar feel in a different setting from McMurtry's Western landscape and may be a win for someone looking for something a little bit different.

Jenny's Take: I wasn't sure what to expect with a Western, since it is a genre I have rarely read; most of my knowledge of the genre comes from movies. To complicate matters, I picked a book that doesn't appear to quite be a typical Western. I found the story to be kind of silly and far-fetched - Nellie meets a lot of famous Western characters - but I enjoyed the way that McMurtry put them all in the book and played with our perceptions of those people. It ended up feeling like a commentary, but I am sure I missed some of it because of my lack of knowledge of the genre. I really liked Nellie as a character, but for someone who reads a lot of Romance, with its flowery descriptions, Nellie's frank talk was a bit of a shock. It wasn't an unwelcome shock and it didn't offend me - in fact, it worked well for the character - but I'm not used to lines like, "Even then copulating with Teddy was no sure thing - he seemed to have no inkling as to how to find the entrance to the cave of joy. Tired of waiting - why can't the fool find it? - I put him in my hand, and then later, after an eruption and a nap, I put him in again and had some fun myself." (That encounter would have taken two or three chapters in a Romance novel.) It was fun to read a narrator who was that forthright - not just about sex, but about everything. I don't expect Westerns to become my favorite genre, but it was certainly a fun experience to read the book!

Adult Readers Advisory: Week 11 Prompt

This week's prompt: Ebooks and audiobooks are a part of our landscape. What does the change in medium mean for appeal factors? If you can't hold a book and feel the physical weight of it in your hands, how does that affect your knowledge of the genre? How about readers being able to change the font, line spacing, and color of text - how does that affect pacing and tone? How about audiobooks? Track length, narrator choice, is there music?  For this week, I want you to think about how ebooks and audiobooks affect appeal factors - also think about appeals that are unique to both mediums. Please feel free to use your own experience and that of your (anonymous of course) patrons. I look forward to reading these!

At first glace, it doesn't seem like reading a book as an e-book or an audiobook would change the appeal that much. A story is a story, no matter the medium, right?

Not necessarily!

There are some obvious appeal factors. A narrator can do a lot to enhance or detract from an audiobook, for example. The typography or layout of a print novel might be important too, especially for poetry or stories written in verse. When words are made big, or squeezed to fit on a smartphone screen, that can change the way that the layout of the novel looks. Books with footnotes, either informational or as a way for the author to insert funny asides, also do not translate well to e-books - your eye can't just flit to the bottom of the page.

But there are other factors that I hadn't really considered.

A great example from the articles we read was the idea of the length of book, and the physical sensation of going through the book, being different in an e-book. Dunneback writes, "Some e-book reading devices and software programs are able to compensate with indications of page numbers; however, this is not the same as the sensation of less than fifty pages in your right hand and you must absolutely finish the book tonight even if it’s 2:00 a.m. and you must be up at 5:00 a.m. for a critical-to-your-career meeting." I know the exact feeling she's talking about, and I never really considered the way that being able to see and feel the amount of pages left in the book affects whether I keep reading. It does, though - I have gotten to an exciting part in a book and realized I was almost done, then, consciously or unconsciously, decided to keep blazing through.

However, there is a lot of power to e-books, too. They allow any book to be large print, which I think is wonderful. Our library's large print section is getting more diverse, but it has mostly Christian fiction, westerns, mysteries, and a few cozy romances. Somebody who needs large print who likes other genres are well-served by e-books. E-books also have taken off as a place to read certain genres, such as romance and erotica. There's also privacy, because people can't see the cover and know what you're reading.

Audiobooks have their own unique appeal factors. The narrator, as I mentioned above, is obvious, but it's more than just having someone who reads well. Some books are better with multiple narrators - for example, romance novels. Others have things like music. One audiobook I've been listening to (as an e-audiobook, actually) is "Beauty Queens" written and narrated by Libba Bray, which even includes commercials (with jingles and everything) for products by The Corporation, a fictional company in the story. The book has the commercials too, but I can't imagine reading it; the jingles and music are too much fun.

It's important to be aware of the strengths and drawbacks of e-books and audiobooks, and to be prepared to talk about them. Some audiobook listeners might like the production with music; others might not like the extra "fluff." Some readers might enjoy e-books for certain types of books, like erotica, or for certain situations, like going on vacation. Just like with any readers advisory transaction, it's important to know about the books and know how to talk to patrons in their language about the books.

It's also important to know what books translate well into audiobooks and e-books, and, more importantly, what books the patrons think translate well into audiobooks and e-books. Talking to the patrons about what kinds of books they read as audiobooks and e-books, and discovering why they like the books in those genres, are important.

I started listening to audiobooks when I had a 30-minute commute each way to work. I have generally listened to books that I've already read, like the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series, and I found it a great way to re-read books in a new way. They were entertaining to listen to, especially the Harry Potter series because Jim Dale was such a delightful narrator. Even though I had read both series several times, I caught things I had never caught when reading the books. It was exciting! I listen less now because I live very close to work, though I really should start walking and listening to books again. I encourage people who are interested in audiobooks to start with something easy to see if they like the audiobook format as a way of reading.

I've read e-books for many years, and I enjoy the convenience of carrying around one device with many items. I also really like to shop the deals for cheap and free romance novels. (I rarely pay more than $2 for an e-book.) I also like being able to find a book day or night, whether the library or bookstore is open. Our library uses OverDrive and has a really nice mix of books - and many books not in the physical book collection.

The most important thing is not your personal opinions on audiobooks and e-books - they're not for everyone - but to be able to talk intelligently with patrons about what makes audiobooks and e-books work for them!

References

Dunneback, K. (2011). E-books and readers' advisory. Reference and User Services Quarterly 50(4), 325-329.

Adult Readers Advisory: Book Club Experience

I have been a member of a book club for approximately nine months. The relatively informal group is made up of 14 people, although the attendance is generally eight to ten people at each meeting. Attendance is by invitation only, although members are open to having new members attend. The majority of the group is people living in or near Ada, Ohio, although there are several members, myself included, connected with another member who do not live in Ada but still participate in the group. Most members of the group are librarians or library workers at public or academic libraries.
The book club meets at a member’s home, and includes refreshments. Usually, everybody attending brings a snack or beverage to share, although at Halloween and Christmas the book club held potluck dinners. The Halloween party also included the members dressing up as literary characters. Meetings are approximately once a month, but are scheduled for days, usually Friday or Saturday night, that are convenient for members, so there is no set schedule.

Leadership, such as it is, is passed around the group. Each member gets a turn to choose a book. The members are all friends, but reading tastes do not always overlap, so genres and styles are often very different between months. This was the design when the book club was set up; members wanted to read and discuss books that are outside of their normal reading tastes in order to expand their horizons. There has been quite a variety, including YA books (“Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell and “The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey), science fiction (“Neuromancer” by William Gibson), historical fiction (“Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon), romance (“Unveiled” by Courtney Milan), and nonfiction (“Mortality” by Christopher Hitchens).

Leadership does not necessarily mean that the leader is in charge of the discussion or acting as moderator, although generally the person who chose the book will get the conversation started by asking what people thought of the book. The discussion then moves on to analysis of the books and peoples’ feelings about the book and its contents. Sometimes the person who chose the book will ask additional questions about certain key elements or plot points of the book.

Discussion is generally well-balanced between members, probably in part because the members are friends, and in part because many of the members have attended or facilitated other book clubs. Nobody dominates the conversation, and members are generally respectful of others’ opinions, although members have been known to gently tease each other about their preference for certain books or genres. Part of this may have to do with the fact that the majority of members are librarians and library workers who, while often holding strong opinions about books, are trained to be non-judgmental about others’ reading tastes in their professional lives.

Discussion does vary, though, depending on the number of members who have read the book and whether people had strong reactions to the book. For example, the discussion of “Outlander” was very short. The length of the book was a hindrance to many of the members, and most members of the book club thought the book was neither great nor terrible.

In contrast, discussion of “The 5th Wave” was more spirited. Nearly everybody read the book because it was shorter and a fairly easy read, and there was a lot of discussion about the nature of the relationship that the main characters had. It also led to a discussion about the way relationships are portrayed in teen fiction, and where the book series might be headed, as the book was discussed around the time that the second book was released.

Because the book club does not have a moderator, the book club does have a very informal structure, and there are months when discussion is forgotten in favor of chatting, snacking, and drinking. However, as time has gone on, discussion has gotten deeper and better.

I have really enjoyed being a part of this book club. It has given me a chance to read some books that were on my “to-read list,” and some books I may never have read without book club. I enjoy hearing and discussing different interpretations of books, and getting a chance to expand my reading horizons. I also enjoy the comradery with the librarians in the group as I grow in my career and work on my master’s degree. Most of them have been in the profession for longer than I have, and so they are a great source of support. Since the book club meets so far from my house, I can’t make it every month, but it is a very fun group to be involved with and I make an effort to get to the book club as often as I can.

Adult Readers' Advisory Special Topics Paper: Every Reader His or Her Graphic Novel

Often maligned and not always well understood, graphic novels and comics do not always find a welcoming home at public libraries. However, despite unique challenges that come with graphic novels and comics collections, the diverse format deserves its place on public library shelves. Through education, especially in readers’ advisory transactions, however, public librarians are uniquely poised to increase understanding and promote the format to a wide variety of patrons.

Prejudices against comics are nothing new. In the 1930s until the Comics Code was introduced in 1954, there were concerns by educators and librarians, who believed comic books lured children away from good literature and toward “lurid tales of superhero adventure”; civic and religious leaders, who objected to violent and sexual content; and psychiatrists, who believed that reading comics caused psychological damage (Nyberg, 2010). After the Comics Code was introduced, hysteria died down, but despite the rise of the graphic novel in the 1980s, acceptance was slow in libraries, and stigma still exists. “Many parents, teachers, and even librarians feel that comics are just trash … Most people don't see graphic novels as being on the same level or value as other works of literature” (Sheppard, 2007).

Even today, graphic novels are often the subject of challenges. According to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (n.d.b), “Comics are challenged for all of the same content reasons that other books are challenged, but are uniquely vulnerable to challenges because of the medium’s visual nature … Because comics thrive on the power of the static image, a single page or panel as part of a larger whole can be the impetus for a challenge in a way that’s different from a passage in a book or a scene in a movie.” In 2013, the comic Bone by Jeff Smith was the number ten on the American Library Association’s Top Ten Challenged Books (American Library Association, n.d.). The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (n.d.a) lists several frequently challenged comics and graphic novels, including several that have won literary awards and critical acclaim, including Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Maus by Art Spiegelman, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Sandman by Neil Gaiman and various artists, and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Often, when comics and graphic novels as library materials are defended, they are billed as “an excellent way to appeal to adolescent readers and younger who wouldn't read otherwise” (Sheppard, 2007). Research appears to concur, but the view that graphic novels are for children and teens, especially reluctant or poor readers, sells short the format. By defending graphic novels as a good way to attract children and teens, “it remains firmly entrenched in the minds of many librarians that children are the primary audience for graphic novels” (Nyberg, 2010). However, graphic novels are written for nearly every age group and in nearly every genre. As Sheppard (2007) points out, “Comics are no longer simply men in tights - many graphic novels deal with current issues, serious subjects, and learning,” including graphic novels about literature, vocabulary, science, and history. “Even in the world of superheroes,” Sheppard continues, “graphic novels have become serious, tackling such issues as homosexuality, racism, and AIDS.”

Graphic novels, far from being a compilation of words and pictures, in fact, is a unique form of literary and artistic expression. “Highly textured in its narrative scaffolding, comics doesn’t blend the visual and the verbal - or use one simply to illustrate the other - but is rather prone to present the two nonsynchronously; a reader of comics not only fills in the gaps between panels but also works with the often disjunctive back-and-forth of reading and looking for meaning” (Chute, 2008). Reading graphic novels and comics, therefore, requires its own type of literacy, and reading graphic novels is a different - but no less important or enriching - experience from reading traditional print books.

Because graphic novels are misunderstood and often challenged, it can be easy for public libraries to give graphic novels, especially graphic novels for adults, short shrift. It can be easier, after all, to elect not to purchase a controversial graphic novel title, rather than face challenges and criticism, and if graphic novels are seen as somewhat less legitimate as a format, it may not seem like as pressing an issue as it would with a traditional print book. However, censorship, including self-censorship by librarians, and book-banning is no less dangerous when it is done with a graphic novel than with a traditional book. The American Library Association (2004) affirms that Freedom to Read - including the freedom to read graphic novels - is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and is “essential to our democracy.” Indeed, The Freedom to Read Statement says, “It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.” Widening that diversity of expression to include graphic novels and comics seems not only allowable, but important.

Armed with this information, then, what is a public librarian to do? Obviously, selecting, purchasing, cataloging, and shelving graphic novels with the same care as is afforded other materials, and staunchly defending graphic novels against threats of censorship are both important steps. Graphic novels should be treated with the “same respect and authority granted to other formats” (Goldsmith, 2005). However, educating patrons, staff, board members, and other stakeholders in this unique format through readers advisory is another way to bring understanding and heightened respect to graphic novels.

Graphic novels are not a genre, but a format, much like audiobooks or large print, and tell a variety of stories. As Fletcher-Spear, Jenson-Benjamin, & Copeland (2005) wrote, “It is important, when thinking about and discussing graphic novels, to not confuse the medium and the message. As an educator, you may feel that X-Men is not valuable material, but it is important to remember that not all graphic novels are about superheroes. Excluding graphic novels because you dislike ‘spandex comics’ is the equivalent of excluding all audiobooks because you dislike those by Stephen King.” Therefore, while the format of graphic novels may not appeal to a reader, just as audiobooks may not appeal to a reader, dismissing graphic novels out-of-hand because of a perception that graphic novels only tell certain types of stories is shortsighted.

Indeed, graphic novels exist in almost every genre. “Graphic novels are as varied as any textual novel in their genre - from non-fiction (like Jay Hosler’s Clan Apis) to steam punk (Foglio and Foglio’s Girl Genius), from horror (Niles and Templesmith’s 30 Day of Night) to autobiography (Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic) and beyond” (Howerton, 2010). It is possible, therefore, to incorporate graphic novels into nearly any readers’ advisory transaction. Graphic novels can be included in static read-alike lists, displays, and “shelf-talker” signage throughout the library. Graphic novels also can be included in lists of reading suggestions created especially for patrons seeking reading suggestions. “Although it is pointless to suggest graphic novel titles to people who have clearly articulated that they have no interest in that format, almost any other advice seeker can be offered the opportunity to consider it” (Goldsmith, 2005).

The graphic novel world will sometimes do the heavy lifting for librarians, too, when popular authors, series, books, and other media branch out into graphic novel realm. As Howerton (2010) point out, “Adaptations of other stories in various mediums are fairly common in the graphics novel world.” Fans of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series can continue enjoying the story with a graphic novel series, beginning with Gunslinger Born, an adaptation of Wizard and Glass. Fans of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon can read The Exile, which tells the story from the male protagonist’s point of view; the graphic novel may also appeal to new fans who have discovered the stories through the Starz television series. The Barnaby & Hooker series by Janet Evanovich continues with new stories told in graphic novel form in Troublemaker. Fans of television shows such as Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Castle can read graphic novels that follow the continuing adventures of the characters. Fans of Game of Thrones, both book and television show, can relive the stories again in graphic novel form as well.

Hollywood can also help librarians get readers interested in graphic novels. Superhero movies and TV shows, based on comic book characters such as Iron Man, Batman, and Green Arrow, continue to grow in popularity. Non-superhero stories are also adapted for the big screen - including recent films Snowpiercer and Kingsman: The Secret Service, based on The Secret Service - and on television - including The Walking Dead and Constantine, based on Hellblazer and Constantine. A simple display or brochure featuring the graphic novel geneses of popular films and shows could get patrons interested in the format.

All of this work is for naught, however, if librarians do not, at least, understand enough about graphic novels to be confident in recommending them. Librarians should be aware of the unique characteristics of graphic novels, such as styles of illustration, which affect the reading experience. “Some readers are drawn not only to types of stories but to types of art as well. Additionally, the artistic style of the graphic novelist gives you some clues into the narrative” (Howerton, 2010).

Reading graphic novels will require practice on the librarians’ part. Reading graphic novels requires not only literacy in the “traditional” sense - being able to read and understand words on a page - but also visual literacy, and those two skills combine in a unique way when reading graphic novels. “Comics might be defined as a hybrid word-and-image form in which two narrative tracks, one verbal and one visual, register temporality spatially” (Chute, 2008).  But while being able to read is a skill that is prioritized in school, visually literacy is not always taught. “An art history elective in high school might revisit visual literacy, or perhaps a computer class on Web design will address the function of white space and organization of nonlinear information, but not every student has such opportunities” (Rudiger, 2005).

Learning to read, understand, and appreciate graphic novels is an important skill for librarians. After all, as Rudiger (2005) writes, “if grownups can’t read comics, they certainly can’t be expected to value them, much less promote them.” Even with the help of signs, lists, series adaptations, and Hollywood, enthusiastic promotion by a local, trusted librarian is still the best way to get library patrons interested in graphic novels.

(References & Appendix behind the jump)