UConn Co-op's Book Blog

A Beastly Menagerie: Sir Pilkington-Smythe’s Marvelous Collection of Strange and Unusual Creatures

(9781599219868 $19.95 Hardcover) (9780762788033 $12.95 Paperback)

“A Whimsical compendium of the most incredible animals the world has ever seen – with 200 full-color illustrations” (Back cover).

As I strolled through the bookshelves of our fine establishment that is the UConn Co-op, I happened upon a delightful book in the natural history section, Sir Pilkngton-Smythe’s “A Beastly Menagery”.  “A Beastly Menagery is a collection of the world’s strangest and most unusual creatures.  Each chapter covers a certain animal family from Invertebrates to Mammals to Birds.  You will be amazed, delighted, and intrigued as you make discoveries such as the water bear (which isn’t a bear at all despite its name) or the Pangolin, an armored creature found in Africa and Asia.  Sir Pilkington-Smythe’s menagerie is full of historical facts and folklore surrounding these strange animals and includes colored illustrations with captions that give a voice to these curious creatures which are sure to amuse.

Happy Reading!

~Samantha

Books for the curious.

Fifty Machines That Changed The Course Of History by Eric Chaline (ISBN: 9781770850903) The title says it all: except for just how utterly fascinating this book is!

The Big Short by Michael Lewis (ISBN 9780393338829) The acclaimed author of Moneyball and The Blind Side turns his sights on the housing bubble and what brought it down. The result is a story so surprisingly riviting that it actually made me unable to stop reading about the likes of credit default swaps and collateralized debt obligations: no small feat indeed.

The Peter Principle by Laurence Peter (ISBN 9780062092069) This examination of hierarchies is just as funny and perceptive as it was upon its publication in 1969.

 Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper by Geoffrey Gray (ISBN 9780307451309) Come along for the thrilling ride as Gray follows leads in an effort to uncover the identity of famous skyjacker D.B. Cooper.

Mail-Order Mysteries by Kirk Demarais (ISBN 9781608870264) The author compares the promises of the ads from the backs of comic books (for items like X-Ray Spex for example) with the reality of what you received when you actually placed orders for these items: a great idea for a book. Why didn’t I think of this?

Rip It Up and Start Again by Simon Reynolds (ISBN 9780143036722)The great British music journalist explores the vibrant music of the unparalleled post-punk era of 1978-1984.

Ian

Fiction for Giving

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin (9780062188502 $26.99) An orchardist who has lost his family and lives alone; two sisters who escape the brothel where they have been held captive and seek shelter like skittish stray kittens on the orchardist’s land; an infant whom the orchardist raises as best he can; and the wise woman from town whose life is enmeshed with what happens at the farm struggle to make sense of their world and each other. In this evocative debut novel, author Amanda Coplin leaves much unspoken, yet because of her astonishing skill the reader is able to sense the underlying currents that are at the heart of this moving story.

John Saturnal’s Feast by Lawrence Norfolk (9780802120519 $26.00) Historical fiction at its best, this intricately woven tapestry of a book tells the story of the orphan son of an herbalist mother and his journey to become a master of the culinary arts. The book is thick with the smells and textures and tastes of early 17^th century life in England. It is a tale of superstitions, intrigue and secrets. I found myself pulled deep into John Saturnal’s world.

What Happened to Sophie Wilder by Christopher Beha (9781935639312 $15.00)When Sophie Wilder suddenly reappears in Charlie Blakeman’s life, he cautiously welcomes her back. Ten years since they last saw each other, they are now both vulnerable and confused about their paths. He is a not so successful writer. She is reeling from her experience taking care of a dying old man she barely knew. Gradually, they open to each other but then Sophie disappears. A modern ghost story. A meditation on belief. Compellingly told.

Defending Jacob by William Landay (9780385344227$26.00)Ostensibly a legal thriller – and I guarantee that you will not guess the ending – this is a novel that probes deeply into the relationship between parents and their children. How far do you go to defend a child? To believe in the goodness of that child? What if you doubt? Does one always doubt? What does it mean to protect that child? Jacob Berber is accused of murder. His father Andy, the Assistant DA, believes he is innocent and takes on his son’s defense. After that, nothing in this story is simple.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (9781451681734 $25.00)When I was ten, I longed to live in a lighthouse but I never imagined anything quite like this story: Tom and Isabel take up life in a remote lighthouse after Tom returns from the Western Front. They long for a child but Isabel suffers miscarriages and a heartbreaking stillbirth. And then, she hears a baby cry, a baby in a boat.  A mesmerizing story.

Suzy