Credo Reference Blog

As promised yesterday, here are more of our eclectic personal reading pleasures of the moment…

From Anne Kail, UK Sales Director:

Why am I never reading Tolstoy or Proust or Ibsen when asked ‘what are you reading?’  Here in the Oxford office it’s our busiest time of the year, so a bit of light-hearted escapism is what’s required.

Starting Over

Dilemma: you can see I’m too much of a literary pseud to be seen curled up with chick lit (or admit it here).  Solution: chick lit written by a chap wouldn’t be chick lit, would it?

Nick Hornby and Tony Parsons to the rescue! Absolutely ripped through Nick Hornby’s “Juliet, Naked.” It’s about a handful of guys obsessed with a long-retired rock star who wants nothing to do with them.  It doesn’t have the laugh-out-loud lines that I found in “Fever Pitch” and “High Fidelity,” but every so often you want to read bits out loud to whoever is nearby.  Oh…  that’s just me, then?

Have nearly finished Tony Parsons’ “Starting Over.” It deals with cellular memory syndrome (see, hardly chick lit!). George is in his 40’s, steady job, married with two children; he has a heart attack, gets the heart of a 19 year-old, and starts behaving like a teenager and loses the lot. A real page-turner. How will it end!?

(Note to self: I will definitely read “War and Peace” sometime soon.)

From John G. Dove, Credo President:

Lemprières Dictionary

I am reading “Lemprière’s Dictionary” by Lawrence Norfolk.   It was suggested to me by the librarian of the Houses of Parliament (who is getting her PhD on the characteristics of subject encyclopedias).   This historical novel is a Dan Brown like thriller which has at its center the famous lexicographer of mythology who grew up on the island of Jersey.

Could there be a more perfect novel for me to get lost in?

From Heather Blaine, Sales Marketing Manager:

As I wrote about here, I am in the midst of reading “This Book is Overdue” by Marilyn Johnson. I’m further along and really enjoying all the different stories and examples of what leading-edge librarians are doing and have done in the past few years. The book is organized thematically by chapter and I’ve just finished the chapter on “Blogging Librarians” so now my list of blogs to follow has doubled!

The Sea of Monsters

In addition, I’ve started the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series – I’m now on book two, “The Sea of Monsters.” I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series and I LOVED studying Greek Mythology in school so when someone recommended these books to me I thought, why not? Well, I’m pretty well hooked. I think Rick Riordan has done a great job of creating a compelling story that is relatable in today’s world but which is also sneakily educational at the same time.

So, now you’ve had some insight into our reading habits at Credo Reference. What would you suggest we read next?