Summer Reading for Students: Revamp Your Summer Reading List with These University-Approved Picks (Ivywise Post 05-22-2019)
To take your independent reading game to the next level, consider selecting books that take center stage on university lists. The following books have been recommended to current classes at UMass Amherst, Duke, Stanford, USC, Washington State, and Occidental College. Pick up one and see what you’re missing. You might just become addicted.
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
This national bestseller, which was included on UMass Amherst’s most recent summer reading list, explores the author’s life and discoveries as a geobiologist. While students with a diverse set of interests will be captivated by the author’s storytelling, Lab Girl is a must-read for nature lovers and aspiring scientists. If this engages, move on to any book by E. O Wilson, professor emeritus Harvard University, Biology.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
This gripping novel, Ward’s second text to receive a National Book Award, is an intimate portrayal of three generations of a family and the ongoing struggles they face. A special edition of the coming-of-age tale was mailed to incoming freshmen in Duke University’s Class of 2022.
Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera
Yuri Herrera’s book about the border between the United States and Mexico is a full-blown exploration into the crossings and translations people make in their minds and language as they transition from one nation to another, often without any possibility for return. This novel was also part of Stanford’s Book Salon in 2018.
The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Another must-read for science lovers and aspiring researchers, The Gene chronicles the history of gene and genetic research from Aristotle to Watson, Crick, & Franklin and then to 21st century scientists who mapped the human genome. Additionally, The Gene provides an in-depth look at the power of genetics in determining people’s well-being and traits. The book was included in reading lists for USC and the author was also the institution’s commencement speaker in 2018.
Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
Students with an infinite curiosity for all things futuristic should take note of this fascinating book, which investigates how technological innovations such as cheap space-ships and 3D organ printing will impact society. The book, which was part of Washington State University’s required reading for the 2018-2019 school year, also includes fun illustrations and is co-authored by the creator of the web comic “Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal”.
How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid
This riveting book takes readers on a journey as the protagonist rises from his rural and impoverished childhood to a full-blown corporate tycoon. The novel is written entirely in the second-person perspective and takes place in an unnamed country that resembles the author’s native Pakistan. How to Get Filthy Rich is Rising Asia was required reading for Occidental College students.