A NHTI Library Zoom Event

Join us October 13th for a fantastic learning event - Storytelling in the Digital Age. This one hour Zoom meeting will be held from 6 - 7 p.m. and cover how technology has changed the we way we experience stories. From the history of electronic literature to the rise of social media in sixty minutes. Register by emailing NHTILibrary@ccsnh.edu.

True Crime Graphic Novels

Do you have that true crime fascination? People have always been captivated with real life stories of murder and dastardly deeds. From the crime pamphlets of the 1500s to today’s reality tv series such as Unsolved Mysteries, 48 Hours, and Rescue 911, the interest has never faded. The difference from then to now is all the new mediums that are available to you. Those earlier pamphlets have given way to books, movies, tv series, podcasts, and the wonderful visual art form of graphic novels. NHTI has a great collection of graphic novels from Superheroes to LGBTQ, Manga and Horror. Hidden in that collection are a few sensational murder and mayhem gems that bear checking out if you need to scratch that true crime ‘need to know’ itch.

A Treasury of XXth Century Murder Compendium 1 by Rick Geary– This collection of tales includes the tragedy of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, the Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans, and The Madison Square Tragedy (a tale of love, obsession and murder in world of 1900s New York).

A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium Vol 1 by Rick Geary – the author covers the stories of Jack the Ripper, President’s Garfield’s assassination and the true horror of NH’s own serial killer H.H. Holmes. Hailing from Gilmanton, NH, H.H., Holmes is considered America’s first serial killer and in 1893 he brought his own form of terror to the Chicago Colombian Exposition.

A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium Vol 2 by Rick Geary – In volume two, Rick Geary covers several true crime stories including the murder of President Lincoln, the Lizzie Borden killings as well as the shocking tale of a whole family of murderers who practiced their evil ways on the plains of Kansas in the 1870s.

The Last Book on the Left – Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski. - If you are looking for true stories of murder and mayhem, look no further. This book covers the worst of the worst. By flipping through these pages, you will encounter Ted Bundy, Richard Chase, John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz, and Jeffrey Dahmer to name just a few.

Ok, I admit I cheated a little on this last one as it is not listed as a graphic novel but it detailed too many horror shows to pass it by. You will find it in the general collection.

While these graphic novels do take a walk on the dark side of the human condition, do not feel you have to be macabre in nature to check them out. They can be a fascinating look into why these people did what they did and to fulfill that ‘need to know’ desire that plagues us all.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? by Annie Gagne

Isn't that what we were asked as children on a regular basis? What do you want to be when you grow up, or what do you want to do with your life? We've already featured a few blogs about careers, but I thought we could expand on those a little more to the include the various literary references we have in the Library that can aid you in answering these questions.

Last month we featured a blog about Career Coach and how that can be used a valuable tool to help narrow your passions down to a few career fields you might find rewarding. Let's add to that! Here are a few fields and books that you might find resourceful while exploring your classes and your options:

Criminal Justice

There is so much to do and unpack here! As a graduate of a Criminal Justice program (and a proud graduate of NHTI - Concord's Community College Paralegal Certificate program), I know just how much there is to do and see in this field. Also, to answer your first question, there is more to do with a Criminal Justice degree than become a police officer. While that is a great career choice, did you know individuals with a CJ degree can go into the legal profession (as I did), or become a Juvenile Probation Officer or even an Information Secutiry Officer that deals with cybersecurity? Here are a few books on those topics that you may find helpful:  

Juvenile Crime and Justice by William Chambliss 

Developing Cybersecurity Programs and Policies by Omar Santos

The Paralegal Professional by Thomas F. Goldman

Landscape Design

Talk about a great way to combine a love for being outdoors with the fulfillment of creating a spectacular space! Maybe the desk life doesn't appeal to you as much as working outside with your hands, have you ever considered landscape design? This about it, you have the opportunity to take an area, maybe a garden or a backyard, and turn it into a functional recreational space to hang with friends. How about some water features, or incorporating a rock wall of sorts? Check out these books for more options on how to develop into this career:

Landscaping with Stone by Pat Sagui 

Landscaping for Privacy: Innovative Ways to Turn Your Outdoor Space into a Peaceful Retreat by Marty Wingate 

Wedding Planning Management

 NHTI - Concord's Community College offers a wonderful certificate program in Wedding Planning Management. Have you ever seen The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and thought, I would love to do that!? I know I have (yes, even still to this day)! There is so much to know and do in this field, it's hard to even know where to start. The logistics, the organization, networking with vendors and so on. Event management is such a diverse field, here are a few books about the wedding side of event management: Wedding Planning and Management:

 Consultancy for Diverse Clients by Maggie Daniels

 Events Exposed: Managing and Designing Special Events by Lena Malouf