A Case for Bra Burning!

Dressed to Kill
Singer and Grismaijer
1995

Submitter: “Now let me just say, I am all for breast cancer research and finding a cure. However, I don’t really ascribe to the belief that my underwear = cancer.  And when one really looks closely at the book it becomes apparent that it is not the underwear itself but ill fitting underwear that is the enemy. I mean the way this man describes the way his wife’s unmentionables fit sound barbaric and unnecessary. I don’t think this is why his wife got cancer though. Nor do I think the small study he conducted is viable.   So on the basis of this book being 90% + obsolete, redundant and most importantly full of one sided bad science I am sending it for you to see. “

Holly: I appreciate that people are looking outside the box in terms of cancer research.  However, this is 14 years old.  Further research definitely needs to be done if this is to be taken seriously.  The other problem is that the cover removes the last shred of credibility this book may have ever had.

Oh Canada!

Canada
Young Giant of the North
Leitch
1964

I was so excited to learn about our neighbor to the north. This was definitely written for an American audience.  Toward the end was a nice historical timeline comparing Canada and the US.  Too bad it didn’t get past the early 1960’s.  I also loved a whole chapter dedicated to these mysterious Canadians.   For those of you unfamiliar with our friends in Canada, here are some pictures of typical Canadians.  Did you know that Santa is actually from Canada? 

Mary

Daddy Doesn’t Care About You

Where Has Daddy Gone?
Osman
1989

Not a bad book, but Daddy clearly isn’t as good as Mommy at taking care of kids.  Evidently Mommy is a much better cook than Daddy and so our small hero can’t be with his dad as much.  Really?  (If cooking skills were a requirement for parenting, I would have been in jail a long time ago.)
These kinds of books are important for public libraries but honestly can we get something a bit more positive for Daddy?  Youth Librarians tell me there is better stuff out there.

Mary

Rainbows and Jolly Beans?

Rainbows and Jolly Beans
A Look at Drugs
the Yerians
1971

Groovy cover!  We should break out a black light and see what this baby looks like. While we are at it,  how about tuning into some cuts from ”Dark Side of the Moon”.

I am starting to develop a fondness for these kiddie drug books from the 70’s. Usually the lingo and references are so dated, I can’t believe this would work for any school report for kids.  Interestingly, this book also mentions nutmeg and a few cleaning fluids as sources of a nice high.  So I guess this is more a “how to” type of book.

Next question:  What is a “Yerian”?  A family ?   A music group?  A cult?

Mary

“Yo homes, smell ya later”

TV’s Hottest Teens: Fresh Prince
Wallner
1992

Submitter: “A young patron wrote inside the cover “this book sucks”. Will Smith was going by Fresh Prince then ( I forgot that).”

Holly: You all know the theme song to Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, don’t you?   I used to sing along, word for word. 

Will Smith was born in 1968.  That means he was 24 when this book was written.  True – he played a teen on TV in 1992 – but he’s 41 now!  Teens who find this on library shelves now do not know him as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.  They know him as Hancock, Hitch, or the super cool guy in I Am Legend.  In fact, pretty much everything Will Smith has done – other than Fresh Prince and an afterschool special – happened after 1992.  There are lots of more current choices about Will Smith for a library collection.

Young patron was right – this book does suck.

Mrs. Farmer in the Dell

The Farm
Russell
1970

Oh boy.  I don’t even need to say anything.  This one speaks for itself. 

Thanks, submitter!

Holly

I am getting an intense feeling about this book…

How to make ESP work for you
Sherman
1964

This book could really come in handy!  I would give my right arm to read minds.  Think of the advantages at the reference desk and other areas dealing with the public and staff.  Wait!  Scratch that.  I just had an image of one of the less savory members of the public at the computer.  No thanks, I think I already know what some of those people are thinking (or doing).  Maybe I have ESP already!

I am also excited about references to more abundant living.  (I did briefly flinch at the idea of “techniques” to do in the privacy of your own home.)  ESP and other books like this are a lot of fun and sure hit for a public library. How about something a bit more current?  I have a “feeling” that will work much better.

Mary

“I can be obsolete”

I Can Be a Computer Operator
Matthias
1985

Anonymous Submitter: “I worry about the neck injuries to the grandmother and boy.”

Holly: I worry about the relevance of the libraries that still have this on their shelves. Wow, there are a lot of public libraries out there that own it. However, this is the first computer book we have posted that doesn’t seem to have an abundance of mullet hairstyles.

Party’s Over

The Betty Betz Party Book: The Teen-Age Guide to Social Success
Betz
1947

Anonymous Submitter: After thumbing through this book, I understood why our library has held on to it all these years. It’s absolutely essential for all teenagers who are preparing to throw a swell shindig like the ones Betty Betz describes. She instructs teenagers on such topics as:
 
- What to wear. (“Always be sure that your dresses are at least an inch or so below the knee, because it’s always embarrassing to have a few cards wisecracking about your peekaboo knees.”)
 
- Who to invite. (“If you have singles, be sure that they can be paired off suitably. And don’t forget to consider such things as height, looks and IQ.”)
 
- What food to serve. (“Exotic foods are fine if your friends are making a point of going to an East Indian tea room or a Pizzeria, but if you’re dishing it up, it’s best to be strictly homespun.”)
 
- What songs to sing. (“Nothing lets the hair down faster in a mixed group than a few peppy songs.” Such as “Shoo Fly,” “Buffalo Gals,” “Johnny Get Your Hoe-Cake Done,” and “Good-Night Ladies.”)
 
- What games to play. (“Each girl…takes off her right shoe, and puts it in a bag. All the bags are collected and put in a laundry basket. Each boy selects one of the packages. The girls are all seated in a line against the wall, and it’s up to the men to find the owners of the shoes. When this is done, they are all off in a swirl of swoony music, and woe unto the ‘dolly with the hole in her stockin’!'” )
 
Miss Betz also has some suggestions for theme parties, such as a butterfly chase party. Each couple gets a butterfly net and small bottle of gasoline to “to chloroform the insects” and then sets off into the woods to “bag booty.” When it’s over, you have plenty of beautiful dead butterflies to mount for your rumpus room!
 
If only I had had this book in high school, maybe then I would have been popular outside of marching band.”

Holly: Any teenager who follows advice from this book is certain to be shunned by his peers.   There are a few public and school libraries out there that still have this book on their shelves.  School libraries, especially, seem like a particularly awful place for this book.

Holly

Breaker, Breaker!

ABC’s of Citizen Band Radio
Buckwalter
1975

99 Ways to improve your CB Radio
Buckwalter
1974

Our man Buckwalter has lots of books on CB radios.  I remember my late father-in-law purchasing a CB in the 70’s and having so much fun listening to truckers.  Any 70’s kids out there remember the lingo?  (Think of the movie Smokey and the Bandit…) Are there still people out there using these? I would think that the advent of celluar technology made this obsolete, but I am not sure.  Librarians: is this something to hang on to or weed? CB fans: any comments?

Mary