Library News

‘A person who won’t read has no advantage over the person who can’t read’ (Mark Twain)

Lucy Atherton, Head Librarian, reflects on a busy start to the year in the Library.

‘After the joys of holiday reading, one of the delights of returning to school is hearing staff and students talk about what they’ve read and recommending books to each other. Last week, we welcomed all new Third Formers and new students in the Fourth Form and Lower Sixth for a Library induction. We had an interesting discussion of their attitudes to reading.

The Third Formers enjoyed reading ‘The Territory’, by Sarah Govett, our summer read, and a number of them went on to read books two and three of the trilogy.

With the launch of ‘Synthesis’, a priority this year is to encourage reading throughout the College and it has been heartening to see many students in the library borrowing books, both to read for pleasure and to support their academic subjects.

Here are a few teacher recommendations for the start of the new school year. Dr Tapley recommends ‘A day in the Life of the Brain: The Neuroscience of Consciousness from Dawn Till Dusk’, by Susan Greenfield. Economics teachers are suggesting their students read ‘Talking to My Daughter about the Economy: A Brief History of Capitalism’ by Yanis Varoufakis. Mr Atherton proposes ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ by Daniel Kahneman and Mr Hendrick suggests ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari. I urge people of all ages to read ‘Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About The World And Why Things are Better Than You Think’ by Hans Rosling. It challenges all our assumptions about the world, it will make you question everything you ever believed and it includes fascinating and honest anecdotes about his life as a doctor in rural Africa.’