Read This Book!

Read This Book!

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Read This Book! episodes

  • A day with the Libraries
    September 13 was a busy day for the Libraries. It was one more day in a week filled with tours of library spaces. As a partner with the College of Liberal Arts' First-Year Experience program, the Libraries hosted nearly a thousand students over 50 tours that week alone — helping CLA students complete their course, CLA 1001. 

    "We want to get students into our spaces so they see what's available to them," said Kate Peterson, Undergraduate Services Librarian for the Libraries. "But we also take the opportunity to let these first-year students know about our online resources and other library tools and services that can help them meet their academic goals."

    But September 13 just seemed a bit busier. It was. Along with five tours of Wilson Library, two tours of the archival caverns beneath Andersen Library, and one tour of the Bio-Medical Library, here's what else happened that day: 

    * A Pop-Up Library at the UCard Fair outside of Coffman Union, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
    * A workshop in Magrath: Expanding your reach: How to give your best presentation 
    * PAWS (from Boynton) at Wilson Library from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
    * The East Asian Library Open House in Wilson 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
    * Think Like a Researcher workshop in Nolte from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
    * A Pop-Up Library for the Queer & Trans Kickoff outside of Coffman, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

    "The annual U Card Fair is definitely a highlight in our back-to-school outreach programming," Philip Dudas, Information Services Manager. "A pop-up library is the perfect fit for an event that showcases all the things students can do with their U cards — remember that your U Card is your library card — and it's a great way for us to reach the students who haven't come into our buildings yet in creative and engaging ways."

    The video above captures just a few things happening that day around the Libraries.  
    2 min
  • Schumacher discusses ‘The Shakespeare Requirement’

    Lisa Von Drasek interviews Julie Schumacher — author of "The Shakespeare Requirement" — in this installment of Read This Book! from the University of Minnesota Libraries. The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune keep hitting beleaguered English professor Jason Fitger right between the eyes in The Shakespeare Requirement, the hilarious and eagerly awaited sequel to the cult classic of anhedonic academe, the Thurber Prize-winning Dear Committee Members.

    The post Schumacher discusses ‘The Shakespeare Requirement’ appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

    5 min
  • Schumacher discusses ‘The Shakespeare Requirement’
    Lisa Von Drasek interviews Julie Schumacher — author of Dear Committee Members and The Shakespeare Requirement — in this installment of Read This Book! from the University of Minnesota Libraries.
    The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune keep hitting beleaguered English professor Jason Fitger right between the eyes in The Shakespeare Requirement, the hilarious and eagerly awaited sequel to the cult classic of anhedonic academe, the Thurber Prize-winning Dear Committee Members.
    Book launch September 13 at Andersen Library
    Schumacher will read from The Shakespeare Requirement at a September 13 event at Elmer L. Andersen Library. A book signing will follow the reading. 
    Where to borrow this book
    The Shakespeare Requirement

    * Hennepin County Library
    * Saint Paul Public Library

    Dear Committee Members

    * University of Minnesota Libraries
    * Hennepin County Library
    * Saint Paul Public Library

    About Lisa Von Drasek and Julie Schumacher
    Lisa Von Drasek is the Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries and host of Read This Book! Julie Schumacher is an author and a professor in the creative writing and English departments at the University of Minnesota. 
    About Read This Book!
    Read This Book! is a video podcast produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries. It is available on YouTube and iTunes. Audio from Read This Book! is available on iTunes at Von Drasek’s The Blue Ox Review podcast. 
    5 min
  • Johnson reviews ‘Revenge of the Nerd’

    Tim Johnson reviews Revenge of the Nerd: Or . . . The Singular Adventures of the Man Who Would Be Booger by Curtis Armstrong, in this edition of "Read This Book!" from the University of Minnesota Libraries. Armstrong, who played Booger in the 1984 film, "Revenge of the Nerds," is an avid Sherlock Holmes fan, and Johnson is Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries.

    The post Johnson reviews ‘Revenge of the Nerd’ appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

    5 min
  • Johnson reviews ‘Revenge of the Nerd’
    Tim Johnson reviews Revenge of the Nerd: Or . . . The Singular Adventures of the Man Who Would Be Booger by Curtis Armstrong, in this edition of “Read This Book!” from the University of Minnesota Libraries.
    Armstrong, who played Booger in the 1984 film, “Revenge of the Nerds,” is an avid Sherlock Holmes fan, and Johnson is Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Johnson is joined by Read This Book host, Lisa Von Drasek. 
    Where to borrow this book

    * University of Minnesota Libraries
    * Hennepin County Library

    About Lisa Von Drasek and Tim Johnson
    Lisa Von Drasek is the Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries and host of Read This Book! Tim Johnson is Curator of Special Collections and Rare Books and the E. W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries. 
    About Read This Book!
    Read This Book! is a video podcast produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries. It is available on YouTube and iTunes. Audio from Read This Book! is available on iTunes at Von Drasek’s The Blue Ox Review podcast. 
    5 min
  • #SingYourBinding
    By Emily Beck
    I recently experienced a new way of learning about book bindings while curating the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine’s 2018-2019 exhibit, The Secret Lives of Books.
    Part of this exhibit will focus on the material aspects of the rare books in the library’s collection. The exhibit will explore topics like the tooled leather of covers, the marbled paper of endsheets, and the quality of paper used in printing.
    A discovery in the binding
    In the course of exhibit research, I found many books bound in recycled pieces of parchment and paper, likely as a cost-saving measure. Interestingly, Wangensteen Historical Library has several books that were bound in sheets of music.
    I was curious to hear what some of these musical book bindings sounded like, so I sent photos of the Wangensteen’s copy of Giambattista della Porta’s botanical book, Phytognomonica (1588) to my friend Victoria Fraser, a soprano and specialist in early, sacred music.
    History revealed
    Victoria told me that these three short pieces are part of a standard mass text. The first two would likely have been sung by a group of people, but the third, the Kirie (typically spelled Kyrie) was probably sung by a soloist.
    She could tell from the musical notation that this piece would not have been written before the 15th century, but that it is likely from the 17th century based on the handwriting.
    Although the music was written after the book was published in 1588, and we aren’t sure when it was bound in this binding, exploring the musical and religious tenor of the material aspects of the book is quite interesting.
    Turn up your volume and listen below to these three short, historical pieces of music that became a book binding!
    About the artist
    Victoria Fraser is an Alaska-born soprano.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Smith College where she graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and with high honors. She went on to complete a Master of Music in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a second Masters in Sacred Music at the University of Notre Dame.

    * Learn more about Victoria, and hear more of her incredible voice
    * Learn more about the Wangensteen Historical Library

    2 min
  • #SingYourBinding
    By Emily Beck

    17th century music from the binding of Phytognomonica (1588)

    I recently experienced a new way of learning about book bindings while curating the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine’s 2018-2019 exhibit, The Secret Lives of Books.

    Part of this exhibit will focus on the material aspects of the rare books in the library’s collection. The exhibit will explore topics like the tooled leather of covers, the marbled paper of endsheets, and the quality of paper used in printing.
    A discovery in the binding
    In the course of exhibit research, I found many books bound in recycled pieces of parchment and paper, likely as a cost-saving measure. Interestingly, Wangensteen Historical Library has several books that were bound in sheets of music.

    I was curious to hear what some of these musical book bindings sounded like, so I sent photos of the Wangensteen’s copy of Giambattista della Porta’s botanical book, Phytognomonica (1588) to my friend Victoria Fraser, a soprano and specialist in early, sacred music.
    History revealed
    Victoria told me that these three short pieces are part of a standard mass text. The first two would likely have been sung by a group of people, but the third, the Kirie (typically spelled Kyrie) was probably sung by a soloist.

    She could tell from the musical notation that this piece would not have been written before the 15th century, but that it is likely from the 17th century based on the handwriting.

    Although the music was written after the book was published in 1588, and we aren’t sure when it was bound in this binding, exploring the musical and religious tenor of the material aspects of the book is quite interesting.

    Turn up your volume and listen below to these three short, historical pieces of music that became a book binding!


    About the artist
    Victoria Fraser

    Victoria Fraser is an Alaska-born soprano.  She holds a bachelor's degree in music from Smith College where she graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and with high honors. She went on to complete a Master of Music in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a second Masters in Sacred Music at the University of Notre Dame.

    * Learn more about Victoria, and hear more of her incredible voice
    * Learn more about the Wangensteen Historical Library
    2 min
  • ‘Dread Nation’ reviewed by Von Drasek

    Dread Nation — a New York Times bestseller — is at once provocative, terrifying, and darkly subversive. Written by Justina Ireland, Dread Nation represents a stunning vision of an America both foreign and familiar — a country on the brink, at the explosive crossroads where race, humanity, and survival meet. University of Minnesota librarian, Lisa Von Drasek, reviews Dread Nation in this installment of Read This Book!, hosted by Alicia Kubas.

    The post ‘Dread Nation’ reviewed by Von Drasek appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

    5 min
  • ‘Dread Nation’ reviewed by Von Drasek
    Dread Nation — a New York Times bestseller — is at once provocative, terrifying, and darkly subversive. Written by Justina Ireland, Dread Nation represents a stunning vision of an America both foreign and familiar — a country on the brink, at the explosive crossroads where race, humanity, and survival meet.
    University of Minnesota librarian, Lisa Von Drasek, reviews Dread Nation in this installment of Read This Book!, hosted by Alicia Kubas.
    Where to find Dread Nation:

    * Hennepin County Library
    * Saint Paul Public Library

    About Alicia Kubas, Lisa Von Drasek, and Read This Book!
    Alicia Kubas is the University of Minnesota’s Government Publications and Data Librarian, who hosts Read This Book! on occasion. Lisa Von Drasek is the Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries and the regular host of Read This Book!
    Read This Book! is a video podcast produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries. It is available on YouTube and iTunes. Audio from Read This Book! is available on iTunes at Lisa’s The Blue Ox Review podcast. 
    5 min
  • The Best from Pen and Press: Exhibit sneak peek
    Take a sneak video peek at our current exhibit, The Best from Pen and Press, which includes 3,000-year-old cuneiform tablets, a 16th century “Remembrancer Scroll,” and much more.
    The materials come from the James Ford Bell Library, the Wangensteen Historical Library, and the University Libraries’ Rare Book collections.
    The exhibits — located in two galleries at Andersen Library and at the Wangensteen Historical Library — focus on the “best” rare and unique books and manuscripts drawn from Minnesota institutions and individuals.
    “One of the things we were hoping to accomplish with this exhibition is to bring materials out for the general public that they can see and can actually relate to,” says Marguerite Ragnow, co-curator of the exhibit and the curator of the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota. 
    Materials include 3,000-year-old cuneiform
    Ragnow listed a number of rare and unique items, including: 

    * Cuneiform that is more than 3,000 years old
    * A book containing a Rembrandt etching
    * William Bligh’s book that tells the story of the Mutiny on the Bounty and his 47-day open boat journey across 3,600 miles on the Pacific Ocean
    * A 1611 handwritten charter from King James of England to the emperor of Japan

    Co-curator Tim Johnson talks about an English, 16th century remembrancer scroll. 
    “It was put together by an official in the court — either of the queen or the king — a list of items that needed to be attended to,” Johnson says. 
    Lois Hendrickson of the Wangensteen Historical Library was also a contributing curator of this multi-site exhibit.  
    “We are showcasing rare medical books spanning from the 1500s through the 1800s,” says Hendrickson. “We selected materials that discuss women and midwifery, diversity in human anatomy, and the knowledge of indigenous peoples in the Americas.”
    Of the many noteworthy rare books included in the Wangensteen Historical Library’s exhibit, Hendrickson shares a few of her favorites:

    * Conrad Gesner’s  Historiae Animalium (1551), considered to be the first modern zoological work.
    * Robert Burton’s The anatomy of melancholy (1621), one of the most popular books of the 17th century.
    * Jane Sharp’s The Midwives Book (1671), the first English book on midwifery published by a woman.
    * Japanese measles posters (mid 1800s), wood-cut public health posters from the Edo period reveal health attitudes on measles prevention and control (also part of our digital collections). 

    “This is an exhibit that has broad appeal — from school groups to retired adults,” Johnson adds. “Everybody will find something of interest here.”
    Exhibit details
    What: The Best from Pen and Press

    4 min

About Read This Book!

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Host Lisa Von Drasek and guests review books from various genres: including children’s literature, cookbooks, science, mysteries, and popular literature. This audio podcast also includes episodes from…