Hidden Gems: Icky, Yet Intriguing

Academic libraries contain information about a variety of topics, many of which are familiar: history, political science, art, literature, biology, technology -- the list goes on. There are books that stir up arguments, provoke thought, change opinions, enlighten, inspire and inform. But, did you know that -- lurking among these typical titles, waiting to surprise the unsuspecting reader -- there are a few titles that are truly disgusting?

Here, to satisfy your morbid curiosity, are just a few books you might find icky -- yet intriguing. You may want to read them with one eye closed!

The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters
by Rose George
RA 567 .G46 2008 Stacks, Main and Monroe

We first wonder, as potty-training toddlers, where the...(ahem)... "stuff" goes when we flush the toilet. But if we're serious about protecting the environment, we also need to think about it as adults. The Big Necessity discusses this very sensitive issue, including the public health threat of untreated sewage in developing nations, and what we can do about it.







The Corpse: A History
by Christine Quigley
GT 3150 .Q55 2005 Stacks, Main

Philosophers since the beginning of time have pondered what happens to our souls after we die. But what about our bodies? Have you considered donating your organs, or being cryogenically frozen? How have other societies handled the disposal of deceased loved ones? The Corpse: A History tells more than you ever wanted to know about what happens to us on the "other side."

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide

by Glenn Kay

PN 1995.9 .Z63 K39 2008 New Books section, Main

Vampires have been wildly popular in books, television and movies for years, but lately, zombies have been coming back to life. The characters in Interview With a Vampire, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Twilight saga may be romantic and exotic, but deep down inside, they're just bloodsuckers staring at your neck all through a date. Zombies are casual dressers, goal-oriented, persistent -- and at least you can be sure that they appreciate your brain. Zombies in film run the gamut from radioactive monsters in the 1950s to stars of blaxploitation flicks in the 1970s, and they always out-gross the competition (even if they don't make any money at the box office). Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide includes reviews, filmmaker interviews, and trivia on this gory (yet often funny) sub-genre of horror films.