Happy Post-Fourth of July Readers!

We hope you had a fantastic Fourth, celebrating our great nation with Pride! Today, we bring to you a review of a book, selected and reviewed by our very own STC Coordinator of Veterans Affairs. This book, Outlaw Platoon, has reached his heart, and the heart of many veterans across the nation. Read on, give this book a chance, and maybe you too can gain insight into the lives and minds of many of our veterans all around us.

Parnell, Sean. Outlaw Platoon. New York: William Morrow, 2012.

I heartily recommend that you read this book.  It is a personal account from a young officer “Captain Sean Parnell” that stepped into a combat environment in Afghanistan and was assigned to a platoon of infantry men (US Army’s 10^th Mountain Division) also named the “Outlaw platoon”.  Their trade-mark was skulls designs on their vehicles.  The enemy respected and feared them.

Captain Parnell needed to win the trust and confidence from the members of the platoon.  He also needed proof to himself that he had the skills and ability to lead a group of men into combat.  Leading by example and taking care of your troops were a priority for Captain Parnell.  He talks about his personal trials from his injuries and the worries from home.  Captain Parnell’s disappointments in the Afghanistan Army, our politics, and the higher command as well with fellow officers are shared in this book.  He also talks about his love for his men under his command and the respect for the enemy.

The battle scenes are very explicit. They show the heroic actions, mental stress, sacrifices, decision making and injuries that our soldiers suffered both physically and mentally on a daily basis.  We see the change in a soldier’s life in dealing with the cruelty and destruction of war.  It gives us a better sense of respect and understanding to the countless sacrifices that our men and women are making on a daily basis in the protection of our freedoms that we, at times, take for granted.  We also get a small glance of the worries, pains and sacrifices that the family makes while their love ones are away defending our Nation.

Please stop, reflect and give thanks to our men and women that have served and are serving in our armed forces.  Always remember their sacrifices.

“Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”  – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Contributed by: Javier Arredondo, Coordinator of Veterans Affairs

You can check this book out in our libraries! Find out more about the availability of this book HERE!

Happy Summer Session!

That’s right! The library is back in full swing with research help, available computers, and, of course, our ever smiling staff ready to help all of you as you make your way through the Summer semesters. And… New books! Check out our latest great Staff Pick below and browse our New Collections shelves, available at all campus libraries, for all of the latest and greatest additions to our collection!

Louv, Richard. The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books, 2011.

In The Nature Principle (2011), Richard Louv revisits the proposition that human beings need to reconnect with nature.   The work gathers anecdotes, observations, and the results of scientific studies to make a compelling case for developing an awareness of the natural world around us and for actively engaging nature.  Studies cited by Louv suggest that a separation from nature diminishes the quality of human life.  Conversely, a reconnection to the natural world, Louv argues, is fundamental to human health, spiritual wellbeing, and survival.   For example, an activity as simple as a nature walk, which famous geniuses such as Albert Einstein and Kurt Gödel used to engage in, helps to improve mental activity.  According to Louv, in an age of rapid technological change, the future will belong to the nature-smart–those individuals, families, business, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of nature, and who balance the virtual with the natural world.  This book may well energize you to take more frequent trips to the park, the beach, or even your backyard this summer.

Contributed by: Jesús Campos, Director of Library Technical Services.

You can check out this highly recommended book in our libraries! Check it out here!