On the Shelves: June

‍

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter 

Why is it so hard to stop scrolling social media? Why do you feel a burst of dopamine when you get a like or a text? Irresistible is a look into modern studies of how screens and software affect our brains. It details the nature of addiction and how our screens have been intentionally designed to capture our attention for as long as possible. — Anika

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Written in 1953, Bradbury envisions a future in which the reading of books with complex, unregulated ideas is controlled by a totalitarian government, and firefighters no longer save houses from fires, but burn them down. Although he placed this future in 2053, some parts of this world feel eerily similar today. — Isaac

The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe by Stephon Alexander

This book made me fall in love with John Coltrane and physics. It shows a link between improvisational jazz and quantum physics. I highly recommend listening to Coltrane's “Blue Train” while reading.  — Austin

College Hacks by Keith Bradford

I love life hacks. There are a bunch of neat life hacks in here that I had never heard of, including everything from helpful tips for studying to ways to find discounts. — Hollis

Gideon Falls Volume 1:The Black Barn by JeffLemire with art by Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart 

Gideon Falls is the only book ever to send shivers down my spine and make me fear the darkness. A priest and a man on the fringe of society are haunted by an image of a black barn. What does it mean? And who is living there? Not to mention Sorrentino's sweeping panels, as captivating as they are terrifying. — Aaron 

First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami, translated by Philip Gabriel

Murakami's newest book drifts easily between fiction and memoir, the fantastic and the mundane. I love his writing style and the moods and worlds he creates and seemingly inhabits I read anything he writes. — Maria‍