Shelf Elf has discovered OverDrive electronic books!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the KLIC Shelf Elf 

Shelf Elf is going virtual!  He has discovered the newest collection to arrive at the KLIC (Kolwyck Library and Information Commons): OverDrive electronic books.  Sign in to read the books with your Tigermail address and your Tigerweb password. 

  

See these intriguing reads that celebrate women:
 

Just as I Am by Cecily Tyson,  
In her own words, the award-winning actress chronicles her fascinating work in film and television but also recounts her life, lessons learned along the way, and her never-failing determination to succeed.
 

Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo,  
The only Native American poet laureate tells her determined story about finding shelter from an abusive stepfather, becoming a poet, and her strong connection to the natural world.
 

Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun,  
The author, herself in the middle of a mid-life crisis, discovers women from Generation X struggle with the idea of “having it all” with interviews and research, learn more about how to possibly feel better.  
 

Wonder Women of Science by Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue 
Get to know 12 women who are active in technology and science professions.  Each short biography gives a profile, the woman’s inspiration, and their words to inspire others.
 

A Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson and illustrations by Nina Crews 
Inspirations words in this poem picture book can inspire girls, particularly those who are imaginative or adventurous.  Crews’ photo collage illustrations add a realism to the visionary words.
 

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. 
In an audio book, hear Dr. Brown, in her relatable, honest style, identify skills that allow for transformative leadership, leading with empathy and courage.

Book Review: Holy Ground, Healing Water

By Dwight Hunter

Perhaps, this is a book too old for a review as it was published in 2010. However, the appealing thing about non-fiction books in electronic format within the library catalog is that if you stumble across an intriguing one, review it.

Well, this was certainly an intriguing one.

Holy Ground, Healing Water: Cultural Landscapes at Waconda Lake, Kansas was written by a cultural anthropologist, Donald Blakeslee. I was going to do what I normally do with non-fiction books: skim around and read the good parts. I ended up reading most of the book. The book appeals to learning about Native American history, Western expansion, economics, and spiritualism.

To be honest, I chose this book because of the subtitle: cultural landscapes at Waconda Lake, Kansas. I grew up knowing about Waconda Lake. My grandmother's house was just a few miles from the lake's shores. I remember being incredibly sad as a 10-year old boy upon first learning that a great spring, Waconda Spring, was buried by the waters of the new, man-made Waconda Lake.

It was this sadness, that curiosity of what was, that attracted me to this book subtitle. But I learned so much more; this book wasn't just about Waconda Spring and the lake bearing its name. The book was about the clash of cultures, about spirituality versus economic gain, about the ignorance of cultural identities. A person with critical thinking skills could extrapolate so much from this 2010 historical anthropology book.

The early chapters explored the history of Native American trails, that they were really a series of short trails connected together, and the early explorers from the French, the Spaniards, the Americans and their cultural interactions with Native American tribes.  I was wondering why all of this information and then saw the connection. Despite the warfare among tribes and despite the historical changes in culture, one thing remained constant: water flowing out of a cone-shaped rock 30 feet tall, and 30 feet in diameter, was so revered, so sacred, that no one tribe dared to fight near it.

It was called Kitzawitzuk and anglicized to Waconda. For the Native Americans, the cone-shaped spring was holy ground. By the 1950s, a great need for flood control was required. Floods had damaged property and towns downstream. Waconda Lake was created.

I recommend this book, if nothing else, to learn about a lost culture and the importance in remembering.