New Year Booklist | New Arrivals #6
WKU library has prepared not only a Chinese New Year booklist but also a foreign New Year booklist for all patrons. There are 20 new books in this recommendation. We recommend them through five categories. Let's have a look at some of them!
Academic and Professional Development
The secret syllabus: a guide to the unwritten rules of college success
Author: Jay Phelan, Terry Burnham
Call No.: LB2343.32 P54 2022
In this book, two Harvard Ph.D. professors provide students with the language and tools they need to succeed, effectively helping them to better adapt to a new culture and reduce their fear of stress. Drawing on their own academic and professional experiences, as well as decades of mentoring students, the two professors share the principles needed to effectively navigate the challenges of college, further study, and career advancement, and provide a wealth of communication skills and case studies that can be used as a reference. In addition, the authors share their own failures and frustrations throughout the book, which brings patrons closer to them, makes the book more realistic, and makes the patrons want to read the book from cover to cover. In short, WKUers who are still confused about their college life will surely find advice and direction in this book.
Study abroad and the second language learner: expectations, experiences and development
Author: Martin Howard
Call No.: P118.2 S78 2021
Focusing on study abroad and language learners, this book examines learners' beliefs about study abroad, the study abroad experience as it relates to individuals, cultures and language learners, and the nature of learner development at the intercultural, linguistic level, with chapters describing studies of learners with different first and second language combinations in different geographical settings. The book also describes what learners should prepare for, what to expect, and emphasizes developmental issues in second language acquisition during study abroad. In short, this book is a must-read for study abroad students and researchers in second language acquisition, as well as for language teachers, and not to be missed by WKUers preparing for higher education.
Life and Self-Reflection
Night vision: seeing ourselves through dark moods
Author: Mariana Alessandri
Call No.: B815 A44 2023
Everyone has dark moods, we all feel anxiety, sadness, and other emotions to a greater or lesser extent in our studies and in our lives, but are these emotions necessarily bad? Do they make us incompetent? This book can help you find out. Through the stories of a diverse group of philosophers and writers from the 19th and 20th centuries, the author helps us to see that our pain is not a sign of our brokenness, but a sign of our tenderness, sensitivity, and intelligence. In this book, the author helps us develop our "night vision" and discover new facets of our painful emotions, such as wit and humor, intimacy and warmth. By reading this book, we will gain a new understanding of the darker emotions of anger, anxiety, and depression, learn to embrace the dark side of oneself, confront our negative emotions, and then truly shake hands with them to become a better version of ourselves. Anyone who wants to improve their emotional intelligence and learn about themselves, others, and philosophy in the process should not miss this book.
Everything happens for a reason: and other lies I've loved
Author: Kate Bowler
Call No.: RC280.C6 B69 2018
Kate Bowler is a professor at Duke Divinity School. At the age of 35, when everything started falling into place, she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. At the darkest moment in her life, she began to think about the reason why all these happened to her. Then she realized that there was love, so much love to support in her life to let her endure the unbearable pain of the disease. Therefore, she wrote this memoir, which is full of wisdom and humorous.
Cultural and Social Perspectives
How our love of dogs creates social conflict
Author: James K. Beggan
Call No.: SF426 B44 2022
This book uses symbolic interactive theory to understand the meaning of dogs as our friends and family members. The author argues that human ownership of dogs will have a strong psychological connection, which makes it easier for people to imbue dogs with human-like characteristics. Dogs are susceptible to inequality and have a high degree of cognitive ability, which makes it possible for dogs to become active agents in social conflict. The author studies the social conflict caused by the dog to connect with the philosophical conception of human nature, the relationship between humans and animals, and human's moral duty to animals.
The travel book: a journey through every country in the world
Author: Lonely Planet
Call No.: G153.4. T73 2016
As the New Year approaches, are WKUers ready to embark on a journey to explore a new world? The film culture, culinary customs, and classic music of a city provide an excellent means for us to understand it, and this book conveniently compiles relevant photographic works in it. Through captivating photos and descriptive text, it helps us gain profound insights into other countries, guiding us on the best times to set out on our journey and how to fully immerse ourselves in exotic cultures. It is believed that after reading this book, you will greatly benefit in strategizing your exploration and thoroughly enjoy the diverse and vibrant tapestry of the world.
Psychology and Learning
Study like a champ: the psychology-based guide to "Grade A" study habits
Author: Regan A.R. Gurung, John Dunlosky
Call No.: LB1049 G87 2023
If you are interested in improving your learning efficiency and academic performance, this comprehensive guide with a solid foundation in psychology will provide valuable advice. The book delves into the role of cognitive science in learning, offering practical learning techniques through numerous case studies and self-assessment methods. These techniques help learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning processes, fostering good study habits and facilitating the achievement of lifelong learning goals. Reading this book will establish a solid foundation for your academic journey, allowing your efforts to yield twice the results with half the effort.
Visual thinking: the hidden gifts of people who think in pictures, patterns, and abstractions
Author: Temple Grandin, Betsy Lerner
Call No.: BF241 G73 2022
Do you have a keen sense of direction, a love of puzzles, and the ability to assemble furniture without crying? You are likely a visual thinker. In Temple Grandin's work, she utilizes cutting-edge scientific research to explain the concept of visual thinking and its advantages. She also expresses concerns about the biases faced by visual thinkers and the potential negative impacts of these biases. The author emphasizes that everyone's talents should not be wasted and provides a range of methods for education, nurturing, employment, and collaboration with visual thinkers in the book. If you are curious to know whether you are a qualified visual thinker, this book might be an excellent choice for you.
Scientific and Philosophical Inquiry
So simple a beginning: how four physical principles shape our living world
Author: Raghuveer Parthasarathy
Call No.: QH505 P37 2022
Why do humans need lungs and ants don't? Why do human limbs form in their proper positions? The author describes how biophysics can help unlock the secrets of many natural phenomena and explains the four basic principles of self-assembly, regulatory circuits, predictable randomness, and scaling. The book also shows how the emerging new science of biophysics is transforming our understanding of life on Earth, and explores how the cutting-edge biotechnologies of tomorrow could enable us to alter living things in ways both subtle and profound, such as gene editing, artificial organ growth, and ecosystem engineering. We can learn something new from each chapter, and there are interesting case studies and beautiful illustrations that will give us a whole new perspective on science and the world around us.
The evolution of everything: the patterns and causes of big history
Author: Brian Villmoare
Call No.: GN281 V55 2023
Presented in the style and format of a textbook, the author attempts to retell the human story in the light of scientific advances through methods such as radiocarbon dating and genetic analysis. Beginning with the Big Bang and the formation of the Earth, this book traces the evolutionary history of the world, focusing on the origins of humanity. It also explores the many natural forces that shaped humanity, especially the evolution of the brain and behavior. In short, in this book, you can not only learn about genetics and other scientific knowledge, but also explore human history through the cosmic explosion.
Great books are not to be missed!
All 20 books mentioned above have been shelved on the third floor of the SLAC library. Readers are welcome to borrow.
Content | Access Service Unit
Layout | HU Linxiao
Review | GU Mengmeng & REN Yuanyuan
