YC Reading

There are many descriptive words we use to try and encapsulate the experience of reading a book that aligns almost magically with our own. There are also not enough. We tend to read and re-read reviews and gushing adjectives so many times that we are almost numbed to their meaning. Honest, gripping, moving, hilarious, poignant, heartbreaking… We’re used to contemporary culture liberally sprinkling compliments as they bedeck their many artisan cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles. There are, likewise, experiences which are hard to translate into words, and those where words elude us – they are too many, or too dangerous, or they escape expression, or maybe the same words repeat on a loop in our heads until we could scream. There are books like “Reasons To Stay Alive” which manage to achieve this magical hat trick. Finding the right words, then describing the author’s experience of depression and panic disorder and anxiety in a compelling, emotionally resonant and achingly true a

This International Women's Day, we've chosen five excellent books written by women, focusing on specifically feminist themes and in keeping with the official theme for 2016's IWD - Pledge for Parity.   A global day which focuses on celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, it also encourages everyone, of any and all genders, to pledge to help achieve gender parity and therefore true equality. Here in the Yeovil College Learning Resource Centre and Quiet Study Area, we've also prepared displays and resources to encourage and inspire our college community to further action and achievement. Here are our Top Five reads for International Women's Day 2016 - all available to borrow from the Learning Centre today. 1) "I Am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai (Quick Reads edition) This incredibly captivating and moving autobiography from a  truly inspirational young women is an absolute must read for International Women'

( Possible spoilers and triggers ahead) Emma Donoghue's innovative novel, "Room" is introduced with a quotation from the Greek myth of Perseus and Danae. Danae was a young woman imprisoned in a brass tomb deep below the ground, impregnated by Zeus then cast out to sea shut in a wooden box with her baby. The quote focuses on the purity and innocence of youth, amid horrors that the mother cannot escape nor ignore - indeed is compelled to bear, witness and ultimately survive. That, ultimately, is what Room is about - told from the perspective of five year old Jack, whose entire life has been lived in one sealed room with his mother. Cleverly written and structured, the novel slowly unfolds its secrets at a compelling pace and depth, as both Jack, and the reader, come to realize the truth and urgency of the situation. From the first paragraph, you're hooked.  Unsettling discord appears from the mention of" going to sleep in Wardrobe", and the reader

We love reading. There, we said it. We're totally, enthusiastically, passionately, tremendously in love with reading. As a library and learning centre, that probably doesn't come as much of a shock. It's really what we do, along with enjoying biscuits and puntastic jokes.  We also know that not everyone feels the same about reading. Some might never have enjoyed it, or have found it difficult or uninteresting. Others might feel they have no time, or simply feel guilty for seemingly "wasting time" reading for pleasure. For some, it's intimidating, especially if you struggle with reading or find a huge book daunting.  And that's totally why the Quick Reads initiative from The Reading Agency is Quite Remarkable. Each year, they enlist the most popular, brilliant authors and storytellers to write a shorter read for those of us who lack time or confidence to tackle some huge doorstep of a novel. They cover all kinds of genres, from romance to action