Ah, summer. Dandelions blooming in the grass. Fluffy white clouds crossing big, blue skies. Sun shining on your back. What could we add to this equation to make it the best summer ever? Books, of course. While most people spend…

Love, love lost and tantalizing recipes (with a little twist). All this characterizes Laura Esquivel’s 1989 novel “Like Water for Chocolate” (in the original Spanish, “Como agua para chocolate”). The story is of Tita, a young girl who lives…

The ubiquitous “they” always tell us not to judge a book by its cover, hence the debut version of NDSU’s Human Library. The first human library originated in the spring of 2000 in Copenhagen, as a way to focus…

This is the second part in a two-part series about “Song Stories” and author Kyle Bylin. We all have those songs that speak to us. They may be the songs we listened to most during a difficult time, or…

This is the first part in a two-part series about “Song Stories” and author Kyle Bylin. The first song I ever bought on iTunes was Kristinia DeBarge’s 2009 hit “Goodbye.” This song was definitely a one-hit wonder and I…

In 2011, E. L. James published her novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” that quickly turned into a worldwide phenomenon and movie franchise. Unlike other series that had a similar upbringing (including “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and “Fifty…

For the past 10 years, the student-run literary journal Northern Eclecta has been sharing local talent not only the NDSU community, but also the greater F-M area. The project started in 2007 as part of the English department’s three…

Identity, passion, reconciliation: these are all factors people often face, in one way or another, throughout their lives. Jandy Nelson covers all these topics in her second book, “I’ll Give You the Sun.” Twins Jude and Noah are incredibly…

Amy Schumer: famous comedian turned successful author with her recent novel, “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo.” Her book was released last August to much critical acclaim. The novel follows Schumer’s life through several diverse stories, ranging from…