NFCC Library Blog

Library Tip #1 - Plagiarism

2010-03-10T10:46:00.010-05:00

Let us show you how the NFCC Library can help you ace your research papers and avoid plagiarism. The NFCC Catalog defines plagiarism as: when a student presents the work, writing or an idea of another as if it were original to the student. Whenever a student presents written or oral work for credit which includes words, data or ideas of others credit must be given by supplying appropriate references and/or citations. The specifics of this may vary depending upon the specific academic discipline, but it is proper academic practice in every field of study to give credit to source materials and persons.

To prevent plagiarism when writing essays and research papers, you must tell your reader where you found your information. You must document information that is paraphrased or information that is presented as a direct quote. Documenting your sources is also called citing sources. There are specific rules and formats to be used. The most common style used at NFCC is MLA Format. Stay tuned for our next post which discusses the penalties for plagiarism at NFCC.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

2010-02-08T17:47:00.002-05:00

This novel has it all - time travel, adventure, wonderful setting, and romance. Claire Beauchamp, a nurse from WWII England steps through a crack in a stone and ends up in 17th century Scotland. She is taken to Castle Leoch where she meets Jamie Fraser, a tall, stubborn red-headed Scot who is really larger than life. This story is filled with rich, well-developed characters that will make you laugh and cry. The plot twists will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and you will feel as if you were there living through the experiences of the characters. This is a book that you will not be able to put down until it is finished.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

2010-01-25T11:19:00.000-05:00

Reviewed by Lynn Wyche
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver is an enthralling story covering 30 years and two countries. Kingsolver has a knack for making her characters seem so real you expect to meet them. In this novel she combines the life of a fictional character, Harrison Shepherd, with the lives of true historic figures such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Her descriptions of places in Mexico make you want to look it up on a map and fly there. Her descriptions of Rivera and Kahlo’s work makes you want to plan a trip to a museum to see their paintings. Even the food prepared in the story may make your mouth water. With all of these sensory delights there is also a story of personal loss and sacrifice and the danger of politics. A wonderful history lesson is woven into this story in a way that is truly engrossing. Harrison Shepherd eventually becomes a writer and the descriptions of his fictional works make me wish he were real and that those books were real. This is Kingsolver’s true talent and power, to make the reader want more.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

2009-03-12T18:37:00.003-04:00

- contributed by Kay Hogan
I'm a bit new to the vampire genre. -I've read the entire Twilight series multiple times but that is the limit of my experience with vampire novels. Now I've discovered Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. This is a much darker vampire tale. Vampires are not the stuff of myth and legend in this book. They have recently "come out of the closet" and many are part of normal society. This threw me for a loop - no more protecting the Big Secret.

Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in small rural town in Louisiana. She can read minds and it drives her crazy. In fact many people in town think she is crazy anyway. She meets Bill Compton who is a vampire whose mind is silent for her. She is immediately attracted to him. The author presents a bizarre underworld of humans who enjoy drinking vampire blood at the same time offering their blood to vampires. Who would've guessed? Now Sookie could be the next victim of a killer who thinks vampires and humans should not mix. Bill is not the romantic hero of a fairy tale. He is by nature a killer but tries to "mainstream" to fit into normal society. Their relationship is very complicated but it works on some level. This book wasn't at all what I was expecting but I will try to get my hands on the second book in this series. This series is not at the NFCC Library.

Article on Stephenie Meyer

2009-02-25T09:24:00.003-05:00

http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/2009_March_Stephenie_Meyer/

If you are interested in the Twilight Series (see previous post from August below) check out the link above.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory

2009-02-17T13:39:00.003-05:00

-contributed by Kay Hogan
This book is a fictionalized account of the life of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, and her sister Mary. Mary is the "Other Boleyn girl" who had an affair with Henry VIII before her sister Anne came on the scene. This story shows how little women were valued in the sixteenth century. These women were used to advance their family's fortune at any cost. The scheming that takes place in the novel is absolutely unbelievable. It is a riveting novel that has several twists and turns. One feels sympathy for the characters even though their actions are sometimes inexcusable.

Making the Most of Your Life

2008-10-30T16:07:00.001-04:00

Making the Most of Your Life is a book that has impacted me because now I know that I am not the only one with problems. I should just look at the bright side of my problems. I have been stressing too much since I started college because all of the work I have to do. The classes I am taking have taught me many things I did not know from high school; and sometimes I feel like I never even went to high school because everything seems so new to me. Now, I am able to understand math, English, and writing, and I am reading a lot better. What I have learned from this book was not to give up in school and that problems are a part of life. I should just have a positive attitude, READ, and try to do my best. This book, Making the Most of Your Life, has motivated me a lot since I have read it. Angelica

The Yellow Ribbon

2008-10-30T15:59:00.001-04:00

The Yellow Ribbon is a story from a book of stories. It is about a man who had been in prison for quite some time, and he had asked his wife if she would still have him. If she still wanted him, she should tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree in their town. To his surprise, there were hundreds of ribbons tied to it upon his return.
The effect this story had on my life is more to benefit my personal feelings. I have been married twelve years to my first love. Throughout this time, we have hit some very rough potholes; but with the amount of love that we have, and the friendships that we share, we have stuck it through – no matter what. In the same way, the wife in this story had always loved her husband, and no matter what the situation, her devotion to this man was strong enough to ask him back into her life again. After reading The Yellow Ribbon, I felt like I was the wife in the story, because my love for my husband is just as strong. Rebecca

Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan and Ben Alirez

2008-10-30T15:58:00.001-04:00

Brothers in Arms was a very touching book because I have a little brother who would have done the same as the little boy in the book did for his older brother. He would try to protect me no matter how mean or how much I tried to push him away. I related to this book because this is how much my brother loves me. Teresa

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

2008-10-30T15:55:00.000-04:00

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, helped me understand abuse. I learned that abuse can take many forms and can follow you from childhood until you become an adult. Sometimes being unable to express how you feel and what is happening can make you feel that abuse is your own fault. It was rewarding to read from a woman who overcame it with a positive outcome, and it helped me to manage my own feelings and accept that what happened was not my fault. Sometimes the ones that were supposed to protect you and watch over you were not good people, but they are all only human. Tanya

Coldest Winter Ever by Soolja

2008-10-30T15:54:00.000-04:00

The book I read, The Coldest Winter Ever, written by Sister Soolja was interesting because it is about the ups and downs of being involved with a drug dealer. Street life can be rough. The book showed me what I can expect if I were to get involved with someone who is a big time drug dealer. The book also changed the way I look at things. Stephanie

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

2008-10-29T09:57:00.001-04:00

Tuesday Morning was a book that made a difference in my life. It brought back so many memories about that tragic morning of September 11th. . . It also reminded me that even though bad things happened that day, there will still be good things that will come out of it. Victoria

Frederick Douglass: A Slave Narrative

2008-10-29T09:56:00.003-04:00

Fredrick Douglas: A Slave Narrative was the book I read. I learned about his hardships as a slave. I liked how he was able to share his hard life by writing a book about himself. Michael

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas made me aware of how bad life as a slave really was. I have lived in the south my entire life, and I never really understood what privileges were taken away from slaves such as reading, writing, eating, clothing, and more. We take our simple pleasures for granted every day. Katey

The book that changed my life was The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas. It taught me about the source of much of the racism that is present today. I saw how other races were treated . . . I learned that some races were treated very harshly. That is why this book changed my life. Evan

The book that I read which had the most influence on me was The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas. It gave me a better outlook on life, and explained slavery. Thinking on what those before us had to endure to get us as black Americans the freedom that we have today, makes me appreciate my life more. Often we complain about so much today, but the truth of the matter is, there is no comparison of our lives with those of our ancestors. We as white and black have come so far, but we still have so far to go. A book like Fredrick Douglas can teach us to learn to live with one another and to have respect for all mankind. Clint

The story about Fredrick Douglas’ life really inspired me. This book taught me that no matter where you come from no matter what your background, no matter what your race, if you keep believing and keep driving on, despite the hard times you encounter, everyone can succeed . . . Julian

Someone to Love Me by Anne Schraff

2008-10-29T09:54:00.001-04:00

I read a book called Somebody to Love me. It was a truthful story about what can happen in real life. Domestic violence and drug abuse is something that has haunted many families. Though I have never experienced something of this nature, I still and always will feel for those people. Jasmine

Someone To Love Me “. . . this is a very good book to read because it is about a girl named Cindy and she thinks that someone really does love her . . . Krystal

The book Someone to Love Me made an impact on my life because it was filled with pain and suffering. The main character went through a lot with her mother, and a dangerous boyfriend, and she wonders if her family will survive. I too have been in the same situation with school. I was not always doing well; sometimes I would struggle to make it. But with people to influence me to do my best and to be all I can be, I made it through it all. Afterwards I felt pride, confidence and strength knowing that I could do whatever I put my mind to because I am smart and intelligent. In situations like this, you just have to be strong, pray, and try to do the best you can do to succeed. Kelsey

Someone to Love Me is a great book about a teenage girl named Cindy who faces many struggles in her life including problems with family, friends, drugs, and school. Through all of the challenges, Cindy managed to stay on top. Sierra

Letters My Mother Never Read by Jerri Diane Sueck

2008-10-29T09:50:00.002-04:00

“The book Letters My Mother Never Read impacted me the most because it showed me how lucky I really am. Jerri, the little girl in the story, lost her mother when she was eight years old. I was five when I lost my own mother. But after reading this book and seeing the terrible things she went through, I can only be thankful. I was very fortunate to have a loving family that wanted me. (My dad’s) She went through the worse experience I think any child could possibly go through. After reading this book, I feel like I should never complain about my life again.”
- Casey

Letters My Mother Never Read “ . . . That book really touched my heart. Every night when everyone went to bed, I sat up alone reading. . . and cried. Reading it makes my own life seem like a happy fairy tale. . . and no matter what happens, stay strong and keep your head above the water.” - Colleen

Letters My Mother Never Read “. . . This book was very touching and emotional to me. I know what it feels like to lose someone very close to you. Reading this book has made me realize things happen for a reason and in the end, it will turn out okay.” - Suzan

Letters My Mother Never Read “. . . This book is significant because it teaches a great lesson. No matter who you are, what you are, or where you come from, anybody can be somebody.”
- Terica

Letters My Mother Never Read “. . . I hated they way the children were treated, but I loved how they overcame all odds. “- Frankie

The book Letters My Mother Never Read impacted me the most because it touched me in a way that a book never has – ever. . . Reading this book gave me more happiness to my own life. . . . I was able to see what terrible things this little girl went through, and I cried when her mother died. Though I can’t say I know how she feels, after reading the story, I realized that to be wanted is very important. Ashley

Letters My Mother Never Read . . . mother’s play a major role in a child’s life. When a child’s mother dies, it changes the child’s life forever. No one can replace the role of a mother . . . Cameron

Letters My Mother Never Read . . . This book was really a page turner. Jerri grew up in a childhood that on one would want; but she did not let it stop her from pursuing her dream. That is all that matters. Shayla
Letters My Mother Never Read . . . After reading this book, I was very grateful to have both of my parents raise me. Unlike Jerri, she just did not have the same blessings that I had. My mother plays a major role in my life. But Jerri did not have her mother. Jerri went through many hardships and tribulations. I do not know where I would be if I did not have my mother my side. Jerri’s story reminded me of what I have and how grateful I am. Dimeishea

The Story of Blima by Shirley Russak

2008-10-29T09:42:00.001-04:00

“The book that I read that influenced me the most was The Story of Blima. As I was reading this novel, it made me realize how bad the Jewish holocaust really was. And I now know how strong the Jewish people were who survived. It taught me how to learn new things – even if you’ve never tried it; because you never know when you are going to have to use those skills. In the story, the main character, Blima had some help along the way. She got lucky. But the people in the work camps absolutely broke my heart. It just doesn’t seem real that people could actually be so cruel. Then I relate it to today, and with our economy. I realize that we have it easy compared to what happened in the past. That is why the story influenced me so much."
- Meghan

Story of Blima “. . . by the end of this book, I was crying at the thought of how people can be so cruel over a belief . . . " - Patricia

The Lost Van Gogh

2008-08-20T11:56:00.001-04:00

The Lost Van Gogh, by A.J. Zerries, available in the NFCC Library.

The lost Van Gogh (or was it stolen?), Portrait of Monsieur Trabuc, is returned to its rightful heir by page 60 of this book, and I wondered, so what else could happen? It turns out that was only the beginning… The painting was stolen by the Nazis in Paris during World War II, and arrived from Argentina 60 years later. Detective Clay Ryder of the art theft squad tracks the case which involves attacks on the heiress, the Mossad, histories of Nazi atrocities, black-market art auction houses, and an SS officer believed to have been dead for twenty years. The plot gets complicated, but all the strings are wrapped up in the end, except for one….
Submitted by Sheila Hiss.

A Place Called Freedom

2008-08-19T11:37:00.002-04:00

A Place Called Freedom
Ken Follett

posted by Lynn Wyche

This novel from the Author of The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, follows the journey of two young Scottish people from two very different backgrounds. Mack McAsh is a poor young man driven to escape a life working in the coal mines of Scotland. Lizzie Hallim is a privileged aristocrat trying to balance the expectations of her family and her need to break away from the confines of her status. Both lives intersect during their time in Scotland, London and their arrival in the American Colonies. This novel offers readers an interesting story and a bit of a history lesson. If you like historical fiction this would be a good pick.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

2008-08-15T15:12:00.002-04:00

The fourth book of the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer is the best yet. In the first book of this series, Twilight, Bella falls in love with a vampire named Edward. Edward is very different as far as vampires go - he drinks animal blood instead of human blood. This story is forbidden love at its height because Edward could kill her at anytime because her blood is more desirable to him than anything else. He learns to master this impulse because he loves Bella so much. Over the course of the series Bella and Edward have several life threatening adventures. Along the way Bella gains a best friend Jacob who is a werewolf and a vampire's mortal enemy. He falls in love with Bella while Bella does not totally return the feelings. This love triangle has sparked "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" debates on Internet fansites.

In Breaking Dawn Edward and Bella get married and the resulting plot twists are incredible. Fans have speculated what would happen in this book but Stephenie Meyer exceeded all expectations and then some. As with all the other books in this series the author continues to reference such classics like A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Merchant of Venice. Previous books dealt with themes from Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, and Wuthering Heights.

I encourage you to start from the beginning with Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and end with Breaking Dawn. You will love the author some have termed "the next J.K. Rowling."

New Novels at NFCC Library

2008-04-03T16:48:00.002-04:00

We have:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Johnny One-Eye: a Tale of the American Revolution by Jerome Charyn
The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

They are ready to check out!

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

2008-01-30T18:33:00.000-05:00

--posted on behalf of Rose Nixon

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert describes a woman's spiritual quest for God, truth, romance, and inner peace, at the age of 33 after a heart wrenching divorce. This book made me laugh out loud, and it also made me weep. It taught me about ancient Indonesian religious belief systems, and about how loving and forgiving yourself is the most empowering gift of all. I hated to get to the last page!

West of Jesus by Steven Kotler

2008-01-30T18:31:00.000-05:00

--posted on behalf of Rose Nixon

West of Jesus by Steven Kotler chronicles Steven's battle with lyme disease and how he decides to take up surfing again to heal his body and his mind. He is a journalist by trade, and I loved his writing style. Evidently, he was quite an accomplished surfer and he is on a quest to find mystery of an old surfer's tale. As he travels the world looking for the answer to this mysterious surfer's story, and searching for the most rad waves, he finds God and himself in the waves. I learned to love and respect the ancient Polynesian religions and their absolute awe for the wonder of nature and waves. Unfortunately, Christian colonialism forbade and outlawed this intact and beautiful religion. If you love surfing, or are on a spiritual quest yourself, you will love this memorable book.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

2007-09-06T16:35:00.001-04:00

- posted on behalf of Kim Scarboro

Outstanding book. The Kite Runner captured my attention from the start and held it to the last page. Hosseini did an outstanding job of bringing his story and characters to life. Much of the book is set in Afghanistan and focuses on two young boys - Amir and Hassan - who grow up together, but are worlds apart because of their social status. The book explores the complexity of friendships and relationships, shows both a beautiful and tragic glimpse into the Afghanistan culture/circumstances, and tells a touching story of family, friendship, betrayal and the price of loyalty. This story will touch you deeply and make you take a good look at who you are and who you want to be. "The Kite Runner" movie will be in theaters Nov. 2.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynn Truss

2007-09-06T16:32:00.000-04:00

-posted on behalf of Kim Scarboro

As Truss says in the very beginning of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: you will either get this book or you won't. This is a book about commas, semicolons and the importance of using basic punctuation correctly, creatively and effectively. Truss throws in humor, history tid bits about punctuation and, of course, some rules on using punctuation. You may think a book on grammar would be extremely boring - as I was afraid it might be when I first opened the book - but Truss pulled off an interesting read for punctuation sticklers and, in my case, people who need a reminder about such things as when to use a semicolon instead of a comma.

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

2007-08-27T10:36:00.000-04:00

-posted on behalf of Erin Smith (NFCC student)

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
One of the best books I’ve read recently was the original Breakfast at Tiffany’s novella by Truman Capote. Of course, everyone is familiar with the movie starring Audrey Hepburn as the sophisticated waif, Holiday Golightly. I am a huge fan of the movie and adore Ms. Hepburn in the leading role and so I dived eagerly into the book Nearly all book are, of course, better than their Hollywood counterparts, but with Breakfast at Tiffany’s I was surprised and just how much better Capote’s novella was. The movie was very different from the novella; they contained many of the same storylines and scenes, but the overlying feel was very different. Many of the subplots from the book were eliminated for the movie and the ending was changed entirely. I was a little surprised to find that on the very first page of the novella the movie ending was thrown completely out of the window, but by the time I had finished the novella, I was far more satisfied with it’s ending than the movie’s ending. I highly recommend it.

Bridge of San Luis Rey, by Thornton Wilder

2007-08-22T11:19:00.000-04:00

In the aftermath of the I-35 bridge failure in Minnesota, Kathy Sale recommended The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder, a novel about a bridge collapse in 18th century Peru. I just finished it and highly recommend it. The book traces the story of the five persons killed, and asks why these five--were they better persons than others? Worse? Were they needed by society less than others? They each had weathered a crisis in their lives and had come to a resolution, but died before being able to begin anew. Wilder's prose is lyrical and imaginative. It's a great short novel that still speaks to our times.

Nasty Bits

2007-08-13T09:36:00.001-04:00

- Posted on behalf of Trish Hinton

"The Nasty Bits" by Anthony Bourdain was great fun. Irreverent, profane...and yes, profound. Anthony Bourdain - whom we can see in living color on the Travel Channel - is so suave, sexy, down right cool. Laugh out loud stories from his extensive travels. I recommend it to anyone.

Welcome to the NFCC Library Blog

2007-08-02T16:11:00.000-04:00

Welcome. This our first library blog. If you have read a great book lately, please tell us a little bit about it and why you like it. Someone may take your suggestions and check it out. We welcome your contributions!