Librarians’ Lounge:
Summer Reading
By Vanessa Middleton
How was your holiday? Ahhh, ‘twas the season of memorable pics, foodie delights and good fun! Now back to reality – but not quite yet…there is still a little more time to escape through the pages of a good book. What was your choice of silent companion? What book complimented your fab or bad flight experience? Which printed or e-printed word travelled with you to the beach, by the pool or while you enjoyed through quiet snatches of peace on your holiday? I caught up with some of the literary movers and shakers – better known as Library Champions – in our community to find out their choice of holiday, travel and literary ‘companions’.
1. Vanessa Middleton, Head Librarian, Petroleum Institute & University Research Center & Abu Dhabi Librarians’ Meetup Group Facilitator
Recommends: Maya Angelou’s Autobiographical Trilogy (I Know Why The Caged Birds Sings, Gather Together In My Name, and Letter To My Daughter)
“Although there are four other biographical titles available (Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting’ Merry Like Christmas, The Heart of a Woman, All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes, and A Song Flung Up to Heaven) I was intrigued by the trilogy and wanted to learn more about Maya Angelou’s life as a great visionary driven by passion and motivation. A positive world change agent, she has left us a great legacy through her literary renderings and much, much more”.
2. Manal Hamid, Co-Founder and COO of Moms Guide Abu Dhabi & Parenting Circle Support Group
Recommends: How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk. By Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
3. Chris Furno, Reference and Instruction Librarian, American University of Sharjah & Leader of Information Literacy Network
Recommends: Americanah. By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. Elizabeth Leonard, Information Resource Officer for the Arabian Gulf and Peninsula, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, United States Embassy
Recommends: Dear Life – Stories. By Alice Munro
5. Shaikha Al Muhairi, Manager of the Cultural Resource Center, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority
Recommends: Ajwan 1 and Ajwan 2: Mandan by Nahdet Misr
“Nominated for Etisalat Young Adult Book of the Year, I’d like to promote Young Adult Arabic Literature. This up and coming author is a well accomplished writer focusing on serving the literacy needs of young adult Arabic language readers. Science Fiction genre books are rarely developed with this audience in mind”.
6. Asma Al Mutawa, Al Multaqa Founder, recipient of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage recognition for the longest running book club in UAE.
Recommends: An Atlas Of Impossible Longing. By Anuradha Roy
Al Multaqa was founded in 1985 and some of the members have been reading with the group for over 20 years.Asma’s selections are like the Oprah Book Club. Once she announces her choices they become immediate bestsellers in local bookstores. Asma’s members recognize her as a literacy promoter. Her Abu Dhabi International Book Fair Author’s Majlis is impressive; she recreates her home fireplace book club salon experience inside of a beautifully decorated pop-up literary majlis. Don’t miss this treat next year at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
7. Leslie Haas, Director of the Zayed University Library and member of the UAE Library Directors Board and eFada, UAE Library Consortia
Recommends: Oryx and Crake. By Margaret Atwood
8. Gillian Westera, Director of the Emirates Advanced College for Education and leading member of the Information Literacy Network
Recommends: The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. By Jonas Jonasson
