The Andersen Library Blog

Hum if you don’t know the words
by Bianca Marais
PR9199.4.M3414 H86 2017
New Arrivals Island, 2nd floor

There are so many levels of “not knowing” in this book, and it all combines to make a heartbreaking and funny and very satisfying book. The girl child, Robin, not knowing how to deal with her parents’ death, or why her black caretaker’s experience with the South African gold mines is so different from her own, or how her self-centered decisions will echo down into others’ lives, or how love and joy will eventually come back to her from the most unexpected sources, if she lets it. The woman, Beauty, in the agony of not knowing what is happening to her own daughter, and not knowing if she can reconcile that eventual knowledge with her own ideals about how to address the apartheid regime. Many of the adults have little to no knowledge of the secret internal life of Robin as well as some other kids in the book (which led to some of the most humorous scenes, in my opinion).

For me, this was also a very compelling personal story to introduce me to a historical time period that I knew very little about prior to this reading – the Soweto Uprising of June 1976.

The narrative alternating between Robin and Beauty makes this a more interesting and multifaceted read, and all the supporting characters are well-rounded and enrich the story.  I was happy to read recently that Marais is planning a followup novel with the same characters. Highly recommended.

Spaceplane HERMES: Europe’s Dream of Independent Manned Spaceflight
by Luc van den Abeelen
TL795 .A24 2017
New Arrivals Island, 2nd floor

It’s a little early in the semester to be thinking about far away escapes, but this new arrival may spark the thought. Spaceplane HERMES tells the story of how Europe aspired and planned for independent manned spaceflight. Planning began in 1975 for the development of a small ten ton spaceplane to be launched on top of a rocket which would give Europe the capability for shuttling crews between Earth and space stations. While poor organizational and management choices, and unexpected geopolitical changes (German reunification for one), recession, and the Challenger accident were among the many factors that played a role in the end of the program in 1993, space enthusiasts, engineers, makers and dreamers will find this a fascinating read.

Locate articles from the period in publications such as Aviation Week & Space Technology, Nature, and Wall Street Journal by searching Research@UWW.

Visit the European Space Agency website for and introduction to the project and additional video documentary.