吃瓜爆料

Book it to the bookstore with 吃瓜爆料 community鈥檚 summer picks

July 25, 2023

Summer is a time to relax, unwind, and get ready to turn a new page in life. Whether you鈥檙e on the beach or reclining in the comfort of an air-conditioned living room, a good book is mandatory for some summertime R&R. But what to read?  

To help you make your decision, we鈥檝e composed a selection of some summer must-reads for this summer. We reached out to a number of 吃瓜爆料 community members who have recently started in new roles at the College, including two members of President Marc Conner鈥檚 Cabinet and the chair of 吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Board of Trustees. Together, they offered this list of what they鈥檙e currently reading along with some past favorites.  

鈥淎 Constitution for the Living鈥 by Beau Breslin

Recommended by Jon Achenbaum 鈥77, chair of the 吃瓜爆料 College Board of Trustees

鈥淭his is 吃瓜爆料 Professor of Political Science Beau Breslin's latest book. It's a fascinating look at the historic development of the U.S. Constitution and what our world would be like if the constitution had a sunset clause.鈥

Check out this Scope magazine story about how the book was inspired by a Scribner Seminar and collaborative research Breslin conducted with 吃瓜爆料 students.

鈥淧laylist for the Apocalypse鈥 by Rita Dove

Recommended by artist-in-residence, Theater Department

鈥淧ulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove鈥檚 鈥楶laylist for the Apocalypse鈥 is about the Black experience in America, mortality, and everyday life, and her words are as powerful and poignant as ever. She will join composer Richard Danielpour on campus Sept. 27-29 for the McCormack Endowed Visiting Artist-Scholar Residency, engaging with students and faculty, and I hope many members of the 吃瓜爆料 community can attend. Dove and Danielpour will come together in conversation on Sept. 28, in Gannett Auditorium, and Danielpour鈥檚 鈥楾he Unhealed Wound,鈥 a 吃瓜爆料-commissioned operatic song cycle based on Dove鈥檚 鈥楶laylist,鈥 will premiere at Arthur Zankel Music Center on Sept. 29.鈥 

鈥淣eruda on the Park鈥 by Cleyvis Natera 鈥99

Recommended by Jen Hardy, director of diversity and inclusionary advancement

鈥淭his book, written by a 吃瓜爆料 alumna, is a window into living through gentrification and what that means to those who live in these neighborhoods.鈥 

鈥淚 also recently read 'The Light We Carry' by Michelle Obama. I enjoyed Obama鈥檚 positive outlook and commentary on events that could be experienced in a much different way.鈥 

鈥淭he Last Duel鈥 by Eric Jager

Recommended by Karen Knoll, academic materials associate, 吃瓜爆料 Shop  

As I was getting textbooks ready for 吃瓜爆料 courses next semester, 鈥楾he Last Duel鈥 caught my eye. This true story about a duel to the death that took place in medieval France is an utterly fascinating book and will be taught in Associate Professor of History Erica Bastress-Dukehart's Medieval Europe course next semester.鈥 

鈥淭he Bluest Eye鈥 by Toni Morrison

Recommended by Zhenelle LeBel, managing director, Arthur Zankel Music Center 

鈥淚 had not read any of Morrison鈥檚 books until this year 鈥 an inadmissible gap in my antiracist education 鈥 and chose her first novel after finishing 鈥楤eloved,鈥 thinking (wrongly) it would be lighter and haunt me less. The weight of these stories stays with me long after I put the book down.鈥 

鈥淔inding La Negrita鈥 by Natasha Gordon-Chipembere

Recommended by Dorothy Mosby, dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs 

鈥淎 historical novel by an Afro-Costa Rican-American author about a community of free and enslaved people of African descent in colonial Costa Rica, Gordon-Chipembere presents an alternative narrative about the discovery of the nation鈥檚 patron saint, the Virgin of Los Angeles. I will be translating this novel into Spanish, so I will be reading and re-reading this novel often! 

"I also recommend 'The Tradition' by Jericho Brown. I think Brown is one of the most important American poets of his generation. After teaching poetry for many years, I know the genre has many foes, but Brown is one of those poets who can easily convert those who claim that they hate poetry into fans with verses that are astonishingly alive. 

鈥淎 Finer Future鈥 by Hunter Lovins, Stewart Wallis, Anders Wijkman, and John Fullerton

Recommended by Tarah Rowse, director of sustainability programs and assessment

鈥淔ocused on possibility and transformation, 鈥楢 Finer Future鈥 lays out pathways to move us toward a regenerative and distributive economy. I appreciate narratives that empower us to chart a more equitable and ecologically-sound course, whilst presenting a holistic view of the principles and policies needed to get us there.鈥 

鈥淢rs. Everything鈥 by Jennifer Weiner

Recommended by Liza Schnauck 鈥25, English major, Periclean Honors Forum minor, and Scribner Library summer circulation assistant

鈥淭his novel is a deceptively elegant beach read following the lives of two sisters from their childhood in 1950s Detroit over the course of more than 50 years. It's chaotic and funny and deeply emotional 鈥 anyone with a sister should consider it required reading!鈥

鈥淗omage to the Square鈥 by Josef Albers

Recommended by Elizabeth Stauderman, vice president of communications and marketing 

鈥淭his book beautiful book features a collection of groundbreaking artist Josef Albers鈥 best known painting series, 鈥楬omage to the Square.鈥 For those interested in color theory like me, this book is an essential, but 颈迟鈥檚 sure to be an interesting read for even those less artistically inclined.鈥 

I also like the 鈥楢 Very Short Introduction鈥 book series, published by Oxford University Press, and just added several more installments to my bookshelf on topics such as the Enlightenment, artificial intelligence, contemporary art, cognitive behavioral therapy, and even the concept of evil. These quick and informative pieces feature expertly written introductions to a wide variety of subjects.

鈥淜lara and the Sun鈥 by Kazuo Ishiguro

吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Class of 2027 First-Year Experience Summer Reading

吃瓜爆料 selection 

Set in the dystopian future, the novel is narrated by Klara, an Artificial Friendtasked with befriending her human, Josie, and learning and understanding Josie鈥檚 behaviors. As the story unfolds, the text explores what it means to be human and the nature of love and friendship.