This blog post was originally supposed to focus on video games. After dying for the zillionth time in Capcom Classics, it became obvious that summer would be long gone long before enough video games had been played in full. Instead of the video games themselves, this post will point out some books in the UGL’s collection whose characters are shaped by them. Sound not as cool as video games? Read on and learn otherwise.

Feed by M.T. Anderson
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M.T. Anderson is a professor of creative writing with a focus in youth literature. If you don’t put much stock in those credentials, you will if you read even one chapter of Feed. This book is fast-paced, original, and scary as h-e-double-hockey-sticks. Its characters live in the not-too-distant future, and have computers implanted in their brains from the time they are children. The feeds (hence the title) advertise to them, show them where to find the coolest video games, and try to predict what they will want to buy, from cargo pants to trips to the Moon. What happens when a feed breaks down? I won’t give it away, but it’s not pretty.

One caveat is that the slang in this book makes its world more believable, but it also takes some getting used to. Don’t be discouraged if the first couple of chapters are slow going: Feed will be worth your time. Seriously. If this book was a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer, I’d offer to give you a full refund if you weren’t madly in love with your first glass of mango-kiwi-carrot goop.

Lucky Wander Boy by D.B. Weiss
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Imagine a video game that parallels real life so perfectly that if you can find your way to its final level, it will show you your own face, followed by your personal vision of heaven. Adam Pennyman believes he has played such a game, but just as he was ascending to the last level, somebody pulled the machine’s plug. Now, years later, he may have a chance to play it again. What will he sacrifice for that chance?

Lots, it turns out. Pennyman will make you cringe, repeatedly, as he plows through jobs and relationships in pursuit of his goal. Along the way, though, he offers insights into life, video games, and the connections between them that are intelligent and disarming.

If you’re interested in metafiction (or meta-anything, really), this book was written for you. Weiss’s self-conscious form and voice never let you forget that you are reading something deliberately crafted. The ending alone should send meta- fans into comatose bliss.

Here are some more video game-themed books in the Undergrad’s collection:

Fiction:
Ender’s Game
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Attack of the Bacon Robots (graphic novel!)
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Snow Crash
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Nonfiction:
Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Pop Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter 306.0973J637e

Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games And What Parents Can Do 302.231K969g

Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created An Empire And Transformed Pop Culture 794.80922K

By Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch

Call Number: 741.5973 B433ac

One could say that the current events rocking the Marvel Universe began here with this groundbreaking series. The Disassembled storyline marked the "end" of one of Marvel comics' flagship titles and it's premiere superhero team, but more importantly, signaled acclaimed writer Brian Michael Bendis's essential creative control over the major events of the Marvel universe. The massive cross-over events of the last few years such as 2005's "House of M," last year's "Civil War" and this summer's "Secret Invasion" are all either the brainchildren of Bendis or involved his collaboration. Rising to the top ranks of Marvel writers from indie series such as Powers, and an ongoing, celebrated run on Ultimate Spider-Man, Bendis has presented himself as a writer unafraid to shake things up or write off a few important characters in the name of keeping things exciting and Avengers: Disassembled sees him in fine form.

The Avengers, comprised of Marvel stalwarts such as Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, face perhaps their greatest challenge in this thrilling story. Events culminate in the destruction of Avengers mansion, the death of several team members, and the revelation of the identity of the team's most shocking foe. With Disassembled, Bendis adds an emotional and psychological depth to the quintessential comic storyline of heroes facing their "greatest challenge." The shocking revelation of the story's antagonist interrogates the infallibility of the "superhero" archetype. The extraordinary abilities which define a hero, can just as easily cause the sort of insanity born from the burden of responsibility. And it's these themes of darkness and paranoia which were introduced here and have eventually come to characterize Bendis' take on the core characters of the Marvel Universe. In fact, this volume provides an excellent introduction for readers interested in the current Avengers ongoing series New Avengers also written by Bendis and picking up right where this series left off. The newer, grittier, Marvel Universe begins here. Get into it this summer.

In case you skimmed that first paragraph in true lazy-summer style, here’s a quick recap: poetry has something for everyone! Here are some suggestions from the Undergrad’s collection:

If you don’t have much time but want a stunning read, Kevin Young’s Jelly Roll: A Blues will knock your socks off, then put them back on again in a way you had never considered, but find aesthetically pleasing. Young’s super-short lines and vivid descriptions bring the blues into your home or backyard hammock. It doesn’t hurt that these are primarily love poems, charged with all of the angst and ecstasy that goes with relationships.

Poetry not your thing? No worries. Diane Thiel’s Echolocations is as accessible as a zero-depth entry pool, and twice as enjoyable. Unless the pool has a waterslide like CRCE’s—then it’s pool one, poetry goose egg. But I digress. Thiel writes in full sentences, and for the most part describes daily life. Thing is, she does so with language that makes you realize that life is a heck of a lot more exciting and intense and meaningful than you’d thought before reading her work.

If you’re looking to have your heart wrenched and your stomach turned, Suji Kwock Kim’s Notes From The Divided Country will fit the bill. The poems wander without apology, covering a vast range of forms and content. She writes about her next-door neighbors and the Japanese occupation of Korea with the same intense, sensory attention, foregrounding the grotesque in nature and in human nature.

For the hard-core poet or poetry lover looking to dive deeper into the wreck of this fine art, try Galway Kinnell’s Three Books. (Extra points if you know the poet whose metaphor I’ve stolen, and extra-extra points if you can name the local poet who beat me to stealing it in his first book.) The three books in question—Body Rags, Mortal Acts, Mortal Words, and The Past—are stamped with Kinnell’s hallmark perceptiveness and compassion. Open to any page: this guy will show you how it’s done.

DMZ: On the Ground 741.5973 W85d

DMZ: Body of a Journalist 741.5973 W85db

Like all art, comic books and graphic novels tend to reflect the world around them. No matter which side of the political spectrum you lie in, we seem to be living through some dark times, and contemporary comics have picked up on this. Writer Brian Wood's new series DMZ stands as perhaps the most visceral example of this trend. The story takes place sometime in the near future. The national army, stretched to its limits by multiple wars in foreign countries finds itself unable to defend against a domestic insurgency. Essentially, middle America rises up and secedes, leading to a second American Civil War. Manhattan island has become a war torn no man's land, a demilitarized border between what remains of the United States and the anti-establishment "Free States." With the island largely evacuated, those who have stayed behind in what was once the greatest city in the country are forced to contend with hostilities from both factions, gangs and turf wars among the city's residents, and the day to day struggle of living in this harsh environment. Matty Roth, an aspiring photojournalist is dropped into the middle of all this, and through his eyes the reader experiences the strange, yet eerily familiar world of this new Manhattan, now known as "the DMZ."

Despite the interesting back story the real meat of the book lies in Brian Wood's startlingly realistic portrayal of average citizens enduring in the face of societal collapse and abandonment. Wood's narrative tone remains even-handed throughout showing both the horror and violence of life during war time, as well as the hope inherent in a group of people forced to rebuild and retain some semblance of community. Riccardo Burchielli's dynamic, manga-inspired artwork captures all of the grime and disarray of a ravaged metropolis, complete with chilling illustrations of devastated landmarks and imagery ripped straight from today's headlines. The series touches on media bias, the often muddied motivations behind war, the fallibility of extreme political ideologies, and the moral ambiguities of survival all while telling a ripping good yarn, with action and suspense that rivals any summer blockbuster or television thriller. Think 24 with more depth and less cheesiness, or Mad Max without all the chaps and hockey masks. For those who enjoy a bit of weight with their adventure, and a bit of relevance with their action, DMZ might make the perfect summer read.

This is a research study. The library only has five of these Wikipedia-iPods for second-year Undergraduate Students. You will be borrowing them for the duration of the Fall 2008 semester. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jim Hahn jimhahn@uiuc.edu for more information.

The UIUC Library is seeking a UIUC undergrad or grad student to help with the design of library related applications for deployment in various parts of Facebook. Possible applications include search apps targeting library collections and repositories, and also applications to help connect students with library services and collections. The position pays $10/hour, and will run through the Fall semester of 2008. An example of one Library Facebook application can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2414276217

Requirements: Demonstrated knowledge and experience programming with HTML and PHP, including experience designing web-based database searching applications. Experience using XML and XML schema. Strong oral and written communication skills. Current enrollment at UIUC.

Preferred Skills: Strongly preferred – prior experience writing Facebook applications (include URLs with application). Experience with JSP and AJAX.

To Apply: Send resume and cover letter, as well as examples of prior web-based applications to David Ward, Undergraduate Library Head of Information Services, at dh-ward@uiuc.edu

Learn how to use online and library tools (LexisNexis, Marketline, Corporate Affiliations, etc.) to research organizations in order to tailor resumes and cover letters for internships and jobs, or to prepare for interviews.

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*This is a pilot service being conducted by the Undergraduate Library, so space is limited! Only the first 200 to sign on for this service will receive Librarians' Office Hours Text Messages for the Spring 2008 semester.

Wednesday, January 16th from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

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