Love it or hate it, Facebook has become a phenomena in American society. Did we ever “friend” someone until a few years ago?

In The Accidental Billionaires, author Ben Mezrich (21: Bringing Down the House), himself a graduate of Harvard, chronicles the beginning of this social networking site at Harvard in 2004 when it was still called “The Facebook.” Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin, undergraduates and friends, recruited two other students to fine-tune an idea that began when Zuckerberg hacked into the Harvard computer to link to dormitory “facebooks” of student residents. Coming close to being expelled, but getting 22,000 hits in the first two hours of his initial attempt that he called “Face Mash,” Mark Zuckerberg and friends went on to found “The Facebook” with each having a percentage stake in their fledgling venture.

A rival group of Harvard students, who had the idea for a similar site called “HarvardConnection.com” (later to become ConnectU) complained to the President of the college of an honor code violation, since at first, they had spoken to Zuckerberg about helping them build the software for HarvardConnection.com. President Lawrence Summers choose to stay out of the matter, The Facebook continued to exist, and some of the founders moved to Palo Alto for the summer of 2004, never to return to Harvard as students. The group sought and found venture capital investors, but not without a re-incorporation maneuver by Zuckerberg to dilute the 30% stake originally held by Eduardo Saverin.

Hence the name change to “Facebook” and Mark Zuckerberg retained a controlling interest as the major stock holder. He remains heavily involved in the venture and has become one of the youngest billionaires in the world.

As to the adjective “accidental” in the title, why not read the book or listen to the audiobook to decide how much that term should apply to the founding of Facebook?

Jean Salkeld – Administrative Offices

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?

Imager by L. E. Modesitt introduces Rhennthyl, a young man trying to answer that question. He knows he doesn’t want to be a wool factor like his father and brother. He seems to do very well for a time as a journeyman portrait painter, until starting to exhibit signs of magic. Then, the studio where Rhenn works explodes…after he ill-wishes his master’s odious son. Not sure what fate awaits him, he crosses the Bridge of Hopes to enroll in the college of Imagers.

In this world created by Modesitt, magic is called imaging — which happens when one of the talented few imagine something and it becomes real. This seems all good when you want to replace a broken vase, but has some less obvious applications such as imaging air into a person’s heart to stop it.

Reading the first half of Imager reminded me of attending college. Rhenn enters into a crash course of science, philosophy, and government, which, in turn, offers a surprisingly thorough way to provide world building. It also leads to fairly slow plotting. But once unknown bad guys begin taking shots at Rhenn on a fairly regular basis, the story progresses more quickly.

Rather than a rip-roaring adventure itself, this first book in a new series works more to set the scene for future installments. Rhenn does solve the mystery of who’s shooting at him and why, but his advancement as a talented imager seems to matter as much as back-alley shenanigans. Imager is a well written, but fairly quiet, introduction to a world and a main character about to experience political upheaval on a large scale and professional upheaval on a personal level. The second book is due to be published in October, and I’ll be waiting to read it. I want to see what Rhenn is capable of now that he’s grown up and has answered the question of what he wants to do with his life.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

Ever Grier, a Professor of Student Development at Montgomery College, offers advice for parents on how to support their children’s transition into the world of higher education. This informative class is relevant to parents of high school juniors and seniors who are exploring college options.

Central Library
Wednesday, September 30; 7:00 pm
Register at hclibrary.org
Or call 410.313.7860

Elaine Johnson – Central Library

When Gwen married Peter she was sure she had found Mr. Right. The two had a comfortable relationship and from the outside, close friends were envious of the couple’s togetherness. But then Gwen ran into Elliot.

Elliot of the dark curly hair; Elliot the brooder; Elliot, the man she briefly, yet intensely loved in college; Elliot who had pushed her to explore her mother’s drowning. Still unable to face an event that happened when she was five, Gwen instead banished Elliot from her life.

Seeing him again now was disorienting. Although Peter had his foibles, Gwen was committed to her husband and their future together. But, as ambiguous as it sounds, there was something about Elliot that just made sense to Gwen. When Elliot invites himself to a party that the couple plans to attend later that evening, Gwen won’t admit to herself that she is both nervous, yet electric with anticipation about reconnecting with her long-lost beau.

As the party winds down, the remaining friends have all had a few drinks too many. The conversation turns philosophical and Elliot reveals that his mother, a formidable figure, is dying. To ease her numbered days, he told her that he has not only found his soul mate, but they’ve married. His dilemma — he must either produce a wife or confess that he lied.

When Gwen chokes on a piece of meat and can’t breathe, it is Elliot who saves her life. With goading from the group and in gratitude to Elliot, Peter offers Gwen as Elliot’s "pretend wife." Little does he know that Gwen has been "submerged" all these years following her mother’s drowning. Reconnecting with Elliot and his welcoming quirky family finally helps her jettison to the surface.

Fritzi Newton – Miller Branch

Another series by author Meg Cabot is a trio about Heather Wells, a former teen pop star, now an assistant dorm (um, residence hall) director at the fictional New York College in New York City. Heather starts off in Size 12 is Not Fat at her new job working with undergraduates who rollerblade in the halls, their helicopter parents, and fending off the question, "Didn’t you used to be somebody?" Her place of work earns the name "Death Dorm" after a girl is found dead due to elevator surfing. Heather is sure that it wasn’t an accident, but even she has difficulty convincing her private investigator landlord, Cooper Cartwright. Yes, he is the brother of her former fiance, Jordan Cartwright, and the son of the executive who terminated Heather’s recording contract.

In Size 14 is Not Fat Either, Heather has a new boss, but the semester starts off poorly when a cheerleader’s head is found in a pot in the cafeteria. And, as if that’s not enough, her ex-fiance wants her to go to his wedding and her father, who just finished a prison term, ends up renting a room from Heather’s landlord, Cooper, who also happens to be the object of Heather’s unrequited love! The fraternities on the campus play a big part, as does the undergraduate who has a crush on Heather.

In the third title of the series, Big Boned, Heather has a boyfriend who’s also her remedial math professor. They are keeping the relationship quiet, or think they are, but that is soon buried under a graduate student strike, the death of her newest boss, and the news that her ex-boyfriend is going to be a father!

Cabot has a fun take on the lives of self-centered college students and on Heather’s trying to find her place in her new life and work world. While not a meat-and-potatoes kind of book, we all need the whipped cream on top of our frappuccinos occasionally. I listened to these on CD and they made the commute fly by.

Susan Stonesifer – Miller Branch