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Nature and Science August 2019
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| The Ice at the End of the World: An Epic Journey into Greenland's Buried Past and... by Jon GertnerWhat it's about: Greenland, birthplace of glaciology and harbinger of climate change.
Why you might like it: This eye-opening book pairs vividly detailed accounts of early scientific expeditions with present-day assessments of Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet.
You might also like: William E. Glassley's A Wilder Time, which similarly reveals Greenland's deep past while speculating about its future in a rapidly warming world. |
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Biology: An Illustrated History of Life Science
by Tom Jackson
What it is: A journey through the history of life science to find out why the dolphin got its name (it is the womb fish), how a seven-foot strand of DNA is able to build your body, and what gives a lobster its blue blood. The great names, such as Darwin and Linnaeus, are joined by lesser known discoverers, such as Karl von Frisch who discovered that bees dance and Jan Baptist van Helmont who found a plant uses air and water to grow.
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| Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert MacfarlaneWhat it is: a lyrical and wide-ranging exploration of the world beneath our feet from tunnels and caves to catacombs and burial chambers to underground vaults and bunkers.
Why you might like it: Nature writer Robert Macfarlane embarks on a journey both literal and metaphorical, connecting real-world observations to representations of the underworld in mythology, art, and literature.
Want a taste? "Into the underland we have long placed that which we fear and wish to lose, and that which we love and wish to save." |
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| The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America by Margaret O'MaraWhat it is: an "accessible yet sophisticated chronicle" (New York Times) of Silicon Valley that spans seven decades and includes the U.S. military-industrial complex, Stanford University, the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, and a sprawling cast of interesting characters.
Did you know? The name "Silicon Valley" was coined in 1971 by Electronic News writer Don Hoefler.
Try this next: Leslie Berlin's Troublemakers, another well-researched nonfiction account of the region's transformation into a tech hub. |
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The Trouble With Gravity: Solving the Mystery Beneath Our Feet
by Richard Panek
About: The award-winning physicist and author of The 4% Universe explains how gravity has shaped our galaxy, minds and cultures, sharing insights extending from the work of early intellectuals through today's understandings about the fabric of space-time.
Critics say: "With a sustained sense of wonder, Panek finds the roots of science in our myths and poetry, uncovering the provocative side of something we only think we know" (Apple Books).
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| Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay BarbreeWhat it is: an engaging biography of astronaut Neil Armstrong, who, on July 20, 1969, made history as the first person to walk on the moon.
About the author: During his 50-year career as a journalist, veteran NBC space correspondent Jay Barbree reported on every single crewed launch of the U.S. space program.
You might also like: James R. Hansen's First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, which delves into the personal life of a very private individual. |
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| Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 by James DonovanWhat it is: a comprehensive history of the space race, beginning with the 1957 launch of Sputnik and culminating in the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Reviewers say: "[Author James] Donovan knows how to tell a gripping story" (NPR).
Further reading: Chasing the Moon by Robert Stone and Alan Andres, American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley, and Apollo's Legacy by Roger D. Launius. |
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| Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon... by Nathalia HoltIntroducing: Barby Canright, Macie Roberts, Helen Yee Chow, Barbara Lewis, Janez Lawson, Susan Finley, and others.
Why they matter: This talented group of women calculated rocket trajectories, designed satellites, and analyzed massive amounts of experimental data for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
For fans of: Margot Lee Shetterly's Hidden Figures, another collective biography of the unsung heroines of the U.S. space program. |
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| Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey KlugerWhat it is: an exciting account of the Apollo 8 mission that blends technical details of the mission with profiles of its participants.
Why you might like it: Science writer Jeffrey Kluger draws on interviews with crew members Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, as well as materials from the NASA Oral History Project, to recreate the mission.
You might also like: Robert Poole's Earthrise, which examines the creation of the iconic photograph of Earth as seen from space. |
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| Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First... by Robert KursonIntroducing: Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, who carried out one of NASA's most challenging missions.
What they did: Given 50-50 odds of returning safely, the trio risked their lives to complete the first crewed lunar orbit in December 1968.
Why you might like it: Rocket Men contrasts the lofty achievements of the astronauts with historical events of a turbulent period in U.S. history. |
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Bookmarks: Jell-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom
Friday, August 16, 2:00 pm
Library Meeting Room
Jessica Hoffmaster will review Jell-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom. A “gorgeous” (New York Times) memoir that braids the evolution of one of America’s most iconic branding campaigns with the stirring tales of the women who lived behind its facade – told by the inheritor of their stories. This program will also be offered at the Westchester Township Museum in Chesterton, Thursday, August 15 at 2:00 pm.
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Movies in Washington Park: The House with a Clock in its Walls
Friday, August 16, Dusk
North Pointe Pavilion, Washington Park
The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department and the library collaborate for summer Movies in Washington Park. The August showing is The House with a Clock in its Walls. The movie will begin at dusk. Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious `tick tock’ noise. He soon learns that Uncle Jonathan and his feisty neighbour, Mrs. Zimmerman, are powerful practitioners of the magic arts. The movie will be shown in North Pointe Pavilion.
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Saving a Century of Progress: Rebirth of the Homes
Saturday, August 24, 2:00 pm
Library Meeting Room
Robin Carlascio and Theresa Badovich will present a program on the storied beginnings and rebirth of the Century of Progress Homes along the Dunes National Lakeshore. Take a journey with the 1933 World’s Fair homes and the lessees who restored them. Call it great fortune, serendipity, and maybe destiny, the five homes owe their survival to complicated, seemingly unrelated circumstances that saved them not once, but many times.
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Axis 360 eBooks
Find popular fiction, non-fiction, and picture e-books and e-audiobooks for children, teens, and adults! It's simple--just download the app on your device, search for "Michigan City Public Library", and log in with your library card number and PIN.
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Gale in Context: Science
An in-depth science database aimed at high school and college students. Includes articles and images covering earth science, life science, space, technology, mathematics and science history. Also includes detailed science experiments. Log in with your library card number.
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Library Catalog
Look up books and other materials, place items on hold, and more.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Michigan City Public Library 100 E. 4th Street Michigan City, Indiana 46360 219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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