More non-fiction titles

I have already been strongly recommending YOU CAN DO ANYTHING by George Anders. I think that our post high school counselors, many parents and some students (as well as their older siblings!) will definitely find this new book interesting. It offers valuable perspective on “how the job market is quietly creating thousands of openings a week for people who can bring a humanist’s grace to our rapidly evolving high-tech future.” Anders tone is conversational and he directs his comments primarily to soon-to-be graduates, commenting on a variety of companies and using the success stories of actual grads with liberal arts degrees to highlight strengths and possible career options. While the subtitle, “The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education,” seems to almost invite negative comments, Anders makes a strong argument for the degree's value with a text divided into four “can do” and action oriented parts: Your Strengths; Your Opportunities; Your Allies; and Your Toolkit.  YOU CAN DO ANYTHING offers plenty of information and encouragement; Anders concludes with even more, offering a list of suggested references including websites, twitter, TedTalks and books. Definitely worth a look!

Another career-related book which is updated annually and is always fun to explore is WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE from Richard Bolles. Once again, this title (now in 2018 version) is filled with valuable advice in an easy to use format. There are so many helpful lists such as the ways job-hunting has changed; factors important from the employer’s perspective, and a starter kit for writing your resume. Bolles lays out key principles, discusses interviewing tips and provides two chapters dealing with an extensive self-inventory exercise. And he includes a separate section on “how to start your own business.” Although WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE 2018 can certainly be used to help narrow choices for a college major or in looking for a part-time or summer position, we will also have a version written specifically for teens available at the library.

With all of the news regarding the upcoming eclipse, readers may want to spend some time with the newly released ZAPPED by Bob Berman. Its subtitle is “from Infrared to X-rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light” and the author, currently a columnist for Astronomy magazine, discusses those topics in an informative and relatively accessible way.  Although there are moments when there is too much scientific jargon and information, Berman balances that with stories of inventors and references to current applications like GPS, microwave ovens, x-rays and more.  Student readers will likely be skimming ZAPPED and looking for a section to support a research project. Others, however, may turn to this book in order to simply learn interesting facts about ultraviolet light, gamma rays or cellphone radiation.  Those curious about science will enjoy ZAPPED or a wider overview such as The Canon by Natalie Angier or A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson; here is another list of 100 Popular Science books with even more ideas!

Graduation and then what? More learning!

I have been thinking quite a bit recently about both high school and college graduation ceremonies and new beginnings they symbolize. As a result, several related books have caught my eye:

One was A Freshman Survival Guide for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About!  written by Haley Moss, a university student described as having High-Functioning Autism. Moss’ earlier book about attending middle school as a student on the Autism Spectrum received very positive reviews. Based on her more recent experiences at the University of Florida, she offers tips and advice for surviving the first year at college. This Freshman Survival Guide seemed like a vital resource for several of our Junior and Senior students and when I shared the title with our Post High School Counselors, they were immediately interested.  Unfortunately, the print copies will not be available until June 21st, but we plan to be purchasing copies to share with interested students and parents this summer and during the next school year. In reviewing a digital pre-pub version, I especially liked the frank, upfront tone that the author set, acknowledging that her experiences may not apply to everyone, but that she is trying to give an honest account of “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” She divides the book into sections which deal with Still Being in High School (read about college fairs, visiting campuses, prom and more); Getting Ready for College (housing, orientation, etc.); Dorm Life 101; Academics; Professional Life (resumes and interviewing); Social Life (including social media); Stress and Mental Health (homesickness, feeling overwhelmed, depression); Living Independently; and Home and Growing Up (with notes for parents).  This book is certain to generate some productive conversations and allay concerns, especially since it reinforces for me the strong foundation and preparation which our students already have.

Life after College by Tori Randolph Terhune and Betsy A. Hays focuses on “10 Steps to Build a Life you Love.”  The two authors, the CEO of Brand Chicks who graduated in 2009 from Fresno State paired with a college professor/motivational speaker, previously collaborated on Land Your Dream Career for college sophomores.  Here, they focus on seniors and recent grads making the transition from college life to being a working professional.  The advice in a number of categories (sleep, living healthy, money management, career momentum, mentors, etc.) is based on the authors’ own experiences and on interviews with professionals like a certified financial planner and a health coach. If you like making lists and a “worksheet” type experience, this may be a book for you.   While Terhune and Hays provide often-needed and valuable information in a personal and conversational way, it did seem a little “preachy” to me and some advice (“buy birthday cards in bulk”) felt as though it was geared to people older than the typical twenty-something recent grad.

Finally, I also read several essays in Should I Go to Grad School edited by Jessica Loudis, Bosko Blagojevic, John Arthur Peetz, and Allison Rodman.  This book is designed for someone who might be considering grad school in the arts or humanities (not engineering, law, business, or life sciences, all of which seem to generate plenty of advice and press).  Should I Go to Grad School refreshingly starts with a section similar to the “choose your own adventure” stories that we read in elementary school.  Based on the answers to a series of questions, the reader is directed with humor and verve to different paths, some of which recommend applying and some of which advocate waiting or re-evaluating. This part was fun to read and definitely felt helpful and honest to begin thinking about the key elements of this decision. Next came the (41!) essays, told from different perspectives and in different styles, about the pros and cons of grad school in the humanities.  Clearly, this book would appeal to a narrower audience, but it is well-written (by people interested in the humanities, after all) and worth exploring if you are considering English, History, Film or Fine Arts as part of your post-college options.   

So,  depending on which ceremonies you might be attending and whether you are a student, parent, teacher/professor or friend, do think about reading one of these books ... essentially, learning is a lifelong process!