Noteworthy reads at the WLU bookstore

Hedy’s Folly by Richard Rhodes (In Stock)
Richard Rhodes’ new book, Hedy’s Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World is the first book-length attempt to tell the fascinating story of a Hollywood beauty- turned-inventor whose radio system for remote-controlling torpedoes is essential to modern day technologies like Wi-Fi and bluetooth.  In this short and charming book, Rhodes, a former Pulitzer Prize winning author, has encouraged Lamarr to be judged as something more than just a pretty face.

Would it kill you to stop doing that: A modern guide to manners by Henry Alford (January)
In this hilarious and non-judgmental book, humourist and journalist Henry Alford decides to examine manners — his own and others. While this book won’t tell you whether it’s okay to cross your right ankle over your left it does provide answers to questions like, why shouldn’t you ask a cab driver where he’s from? And why, “People pay you to do that?” is not the question to ask anyone who’s just told you his profession.

While Rhodes does not attempt to create a system of rules to follow, he does try to understand and establish a universal code of manners for all of us to live by.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green (January)
Award-winning novelist John Green’s latest book, The Fault in our Stars tells the story of 17-year-old cancer survivor holding onto a thin life line until she meets Augustus Waters – a match made at cancer kid support group. Meeting Augustus pushes Hazel to re-examine her sickness, life, death and the legacy that everyone leaves behind. Green is the popular author of Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns.

Liberation Square: Inside the Egyptian Revolution and the Rebirth of a Nation by Ashraf Khalil (January)
Liberation Square is a well-written and thrilling account of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s regime in Egypt last year. Khalil, a Cairo-based journalist, is able to provide cultural insights in his commentary of the past and current reality of Egypt and its people.

He describes a few cultural and political milestones that exemplify the growing desperation with Mubarak’s regime before the uprising. The last half of Liberation Square is a day-to-day narrative of the weeks between the first protest on Jan. 25 and Mubarak’s resignation on Feb. 11.

He describes how demonstrators tried to take bridges and public spaces and figured out how to communicate without the Internet and cell phones. He talks about important Internet figures including Khaled Saieed and Asmaa Mahfouz, who he confirms were pivotal to galvanizing the nation.

For special orders on fiction/non-fiction, please contact:
Denoja Kankesan, general books/faculty relations
coordinator