Summer Books
A List of Recommendations
Summer is a great time to relax, get outside, set aside the confines of the classroom, and reintroduce yourself to reading for pleasure. I am the first to admit that school zaps the enjoyment out of reading, so I built this by polling former students (and several friends) about a few of their favorite books they’d recommend to their peers—books they enjoyed reading with stories that touched their lives.
Everyone should read these 8 classics:
Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Diary of Anne Frank
Of Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
However, I wanted to recommend books that, for the most part, you won’t come across in high school English classes. The picks span several genres and purposes; some will challenge you, some hint at life lessons, some will make you laugh or cry, and many are fit to read while relaxing in the summer sun. Enjoy.
Books Everyone Should Read Before College
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.
Is a mix between a self-help book (don’t get hung up on that term) and a book of case studies (like Freakonomics). It's a great/informative read that will (i) help us better understand where our clients are coming from, and how to help them adapt and grow, and (ii) could be a great resource to give students/parents. Essentially, the thesis of the book is that people employ two different mindsets: (i) the fixed mindset that focuses on so-called fixed traits such as intelligence or “natural talent” and avoids challenge in order to seek validation of those traits, and (ii) the growth mindset - the hand you’re dealt at birth is only the starting point for growth. In the growth mindset, we have room to grow, to change, and to see things from a positive angle. The book offers true perspective/insight into how our clients deal with things, how we deal with things, and strategies to help all of us utilize a growth mindset. Also, though I didn't expect it to, Carol Dweck uses a lot of college references in the book.
On Writing: A memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Sometimes fame and fortune happen for a reason, so when Stephen King tells his readers, “The road to hell is paved with adverbs” you better believe he knows what he’s talking about (he is worth some $400 million). On Writing is a witty, funny, and informative look at King’s life, his early years as a struggling writer, how he became famous, and his never-ending love for writing. Throughout the book he weaves in interesting anecdotes and his personal preferences/tips on how to write well (please, no adverbs, passive voice, or useless/superfluous words).
BOOKS THAT GIVE PERSPECTIVE, WITHOUT the COMPLICATED LANGUAGE OF SHAKESPEARE OR HOMER
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Follows Santiago’s journey and coming of age where he learns that he needs to go through doing the things that make him happy, but without forgetting the role of other people and things in his life. In the beginning he knows that even though he loves to travel, he must never forget to tend to his sheep. After finding love in the desert, Santiago knows that life wouldn’t have the same meaning if he didn’t have her to share things with. Though he thinks his treasure lies buried in Egypt, the real lesson comes when Santiago realizes that it is only through sharing the details of his experience and the beauty of the world with someone else that life has meaning.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
At times, we all think our lives are hard. Then comes Wall’s memoir detailing her childhood with an alcoholic father, free-spirited mother “who believed that kids should be left alone to reap the educational and immunological benefits of suffering,” brother, and two sisters as they navigate a rocky childhood. “The memoir offers a catalog of nightmares that the Walls children were encouraged to see as comic or thrilling episodes in the family romance.” Unlike stories that seek acceptance and pity, Wall’s memoir is unsentimental, does not demonize her parents while showcasing the pitfalls and triumphs of growing up largely without parental role models leading the way.
ANYTHING by Bill Bryson
Be careful when reading Bill Bryson in public, his writing will make you laugh…uncontrollably at times. I made the mistake of reading In A Sunburned Country while flying home from Australia—everyone kept staring at me, even though I tried to muffle my laughter and accompanying tears. On a beach on a different trip, friends actually picked up their lounge chairs and moved away from me as I read The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (again, random bursts of uncontrollable laughing). Bryson does an incredible job of weaving in obscure, but interesting, historical facts in detail—and he brings time periods to life through story, anecdotes, and experience. Plus, someone in just about every one of his books, he’s chased by a dog (spoiler: he usually loses).
Born Round by Frank Bruni
Is a telling autobiographical story that spans Bruni’s childhood in an Italian-American family through his lengthy stint as the New York Times food critic. As a child, force-fed by relatives wanting to shower him with love, Bruni became, well, rounder than the other members of his family. As an adult, a successful journalist and writing, Bruni’s rise to fame landed him the opportunity to be the New York Time’s food critic, a job that plagued his already strained love-hate relationship with food and his body. So often we read about girls/woman’s difficulties with food and body image; rarely do we read such poignant, humorous, and heartfelt words from a grown man on the subject.
Disgrace, by J. M. Coetzee
Tests the bounds of a grinchy middle-aged professor’s apathy for the women in his life. Some, like his ex-wife, suffer him by choice; others (a regretful student mistress, and his roughneck farm steading daughter) are less willing. Fans of Camus, Ishiguro, and Achebe will enjoy Coetzee’s vivid, wry realism and philosophical depth.
Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
A witty novel with an eccentric cast and wackier plot. You’ll love the hilarious, rollicking, yet poignant adventure of a family threesome figuring out who they are and where they belong.
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
O’Brien encounters the enormously complicated relationship between fiction and reality. He demonstrates that the best way to communicate the stories of atrocity—of his own time as a soldier in Vietnam—is not by way of the truth. Specifics of time and place dissolve in the presence of repetition and perspective shifts. By acknowledging the inevitable limitations of story telling, O’Brien makes way for the emotional reality of war.
The Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury
The cover says it all, “The heroic story of dogs and men in a race against an epidemic.” The book chronicles the diphtheria epidemic that struck Nome, Alaska in 1925. Isolated from the world, over 2,000 miles away from Seattle, the local doctor new that without antitoxin, the population of Nome would be doomed. What do you do when blizzard conditions keep planes away and the port is iced over? Nome only had one choice—dogsleds… The authors weave in historical fact and capture the lower 48’s fascination with the saga as skilled mushers and their dogs made the treacherous journey across the Alaskan wilderness to save Nome. You experience the thrill, the arctic landscape, and see into the world of man and dog as they race time to save this isolated mining town. You won’t be able to put it down. Note: the mushers’ journey inspired the annual Iditarod sled dog race.
Jason's Recommendations
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Published in 1961 and set during World War II, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 details the travails and escapades of Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. B-25 bombardier who just wants to return home but doesn’t want to risk his life flying the required number of missions necessary in order to do so. Hence the title and the phrase, which subsequently entered contemporary lexicon to describe “a difficult situation from which there is no escape, because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.” Yossarian’s Kafka-esque struggle to survive is on the surface an indictment on the futility of war. In an abstract sense, however, Yossarian’s plight is existentialism at its finest – the absurdity and apparent meaningless of life in the face of capricious circumstance and impending death. The author’s dark cynicism would be disconcerting if it weren’t so entertaining, his endless cast of colorful, misfit characters depressing if they weren’t so hilarious.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Published in 1942 and set in present day Algeria, Albert Camus’ The Stranger follows protagonist Meursault, a French Algerian who learns by telegram that his mother has passed, and whose apparent lack of emotion over the news is later used as a key piece of evidence to convict him of the murder of an Arab man. In the meantime Meursault confronts and comes to terms with the lack of meaning to his or to anyone’s life, and the absurdity of not only judging oneself—but judging other people against such a bleak backdrop. Paradoxically, these epiphanies are empowering and his solitude as a figurative and literal foreigner in the world becomes the only solace that he needs. His indifference and objectivity to his fate at the end are ultimately his salvation. Meursault’s journey mirrors to a large extent that of Camus himself, the son of impoverished Algerian immigrants whose writings found him constantly on the peripheries of the various political and economic philosophies posturing for attention in post-War Europe. Like Meursault, Camus never felt like he belonged anywhere and to anyone, and the book asks readers to either join him or judge him.
ELLEN'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Reading Ender’s Game, I felt, for the first time, like a witness to a newly discovered world. In my universe of late middle school, I was shy and too often judged on my appearance rather than my intellect. But Ender’s world was different. He was smart, and yet he was chosen for something despite the taunting he received. Yes, that something turned out to be genocide—but I didn’t care: he was still chosen. He was strong and independent, and he rebelled against those who tried to push him down. Everyone has a desire to be chosen, and this is why Ender’s story is so meaningful. Even if we only want one person to see in us one single trait we take pride in, the acknowledgement of our hard work is acutely rewarding.
JAMIE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Is a book about what it means to be a leader and a woman. In it, Cheryl Sandburg, the COO of Facebook, talks about her path to leadership in a male-dominated world and shares stories of the difficulties of balancing being a woman and fulfilling the societal expectations of womanhood, and also achieving her personal and professional goals.
The Last Lecture by Jeffrey Zaslow and Randy Pausch
Is adapted from a talk given by Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch in 2007. Following his diagnosis with terminal cancer, he is invited by the school to give a lecture on his life and the lessons he has learned. The book focuses on the life lessons he’d like to teach his children, but will never get to. He puts special emphasis on how to achieve one’s life dreams, even those that sound too extraordinary to actually come true.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Is a book about the history of a black family residing in the North and how the son of the family seeks to find his roots in a former slave town in the South. It explores race relations and how they develop in both places over time, while showing the son’s day-to-day life and his own perspective on what it means learn about one’s past in order to understand their current life.
ZOE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Is a classic and timeless piece of literature that takes place in the 1920s. It’s about a man longing for his lost love, and it explores the result of living in the past as well as what happens when you hold expectations for the future. It’s a well-written novel that teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of living your life in the present.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Is translated from Japanese and takes place in Tokyo. It’s about a college man who explores the idea of love while going through his life in an apathetic state, meeting interesting people as he goes through the journey of life. The book exposes the many different types of people in the world while eliminating judgment and stigma around people’s differences.
The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Is the story of an Indian boy whose mother gets raped. He is forced into maturity as he makes it his life’s mission to find the person who committed this horrid act, making the transition into adulthood and understanding the world as he does so. The book is powerful and explores the meaning of justice and fairness in the world, as well as the loss of innocence.
Emily R's Recommendations
We Wish To Inform You That We Will Be Killed With Our Families Tomorrow: Stories From Rwanda by Philip Gourevich
In every social studies course I took from K-12, we always had a unit on the Holocaust. I wish we had had time to discuss other international crises, too. This book's account of the 1994 Rwandan genocide is vivid, moving, and accessible to even casual readers of non-fiction. I generally prefer fiction to nonfiction, but couldn't put it down.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Funny and thought-provoking. One of my favorite books of all time.
EMILY'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Luna by Julie Anne Peters
Is about a high school girl (Regan) with a brother who is going through transitioning into a girl names Luna. Regan is learning how to deal with her brother’s transition and high school.
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
(All Sarah Dessen books are great summer reads) Annabel is a junior in high school who is losing her popular best friend and trying to fit in. She meets Owen, a quiet, bad boy and the story goes from there.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamand Ngozi Adichie
Is about a girl, Kambili, and her brother, Jaja, living in the unstable city of Enugu, Nigeria. Kambili’s father is very strict and tries to help change the world, but uses a heavy authoritarian hand on his family. It teaches the reader a lot about the politics of Nigeria, and is a coming of age story.
RACHEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The writing in this book is so vivid, sharp, creative and engrossing that it made me want to befriend the author and devour her emails. The story follows a group of friends through the past, present and future, loosely connected through a passion for music, and then leapfrogs across time, cities and relationship configurations.
Open by Andre Agassi
Whether you're an avid tennis fan or have never watched a match in your life, the power of Agassi's story is undeniable. I think the interesting parallel for your students is being a gifted child who grows up with high expectations, pressure to succeed and a dominant parental figure. The book's uncensored journey into the mind of a prodigy and his demons is fascinating.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
It's dense and challenging, but also a mind-bending read with a holy shit, didn't see that coming twist. Hyper intelligent college bound daughter, mysterious powerful father and a tightly wrapped mystery. Worth the effort.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
Discovering Dave Eggers writing was a light bulb moment. His writing style, personality, and voice are so real and engaging that it changed my perception of how an author could communicate. An amazing book that turned me into an Eggers fan.
JENNY'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Is a beautiful statement on the human existence with a little bit of every genre mixed in, plus rich historical connections.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
If you’re looking for something more modern, this one does a really nice job of weaving two compelling storylines together. It’s actually quite impressive in the way that everything fits together.
1984 by George Orwell
Once you get past the first 50 pages, IT’S SO GOOD. Definitely a philosophical read that will make you take a long, hard, critical look at society, politics, and power.
BRANDON'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
This book, which has also been adapted into a Broadway play, is about a young boy with a cognitive disability who investigates the death of his neighbor's dog—and in the process learns more about his family and his past. The book is told from the perspective of the young boy, so the reader gets inside his mind and learns about his thought patterns and life.
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
The Alchemist tells the story of a boy who travels from Spain to Egypt in search of buried treasure. It’s short and simple, but meaningful—especially for teens trying to figure out their identity.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This book is about the behind-the-scenes drama of a fantastical circus that only shows up at night. The writing’s extremely poetic with strong visual imagery. As someone who loves theatre, there are a lot of references to Shakespeare and the world of performance as well.
Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks is a neurologist who writes books about interesting things that he has come across and learned about the human brain over the course of his career. In this book, he discusses the interactions between music and the brain. He touches on how we process music, why we like music, the biological basis of musical ability, and the applications of music in healthcare. This book does not read like a textbook—he discusses his research through anecdotes, interviews and personal commentary; his voice is compelling. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves music or psychology, or both.
REED'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Closing of the American Mind by Allan Blooms
The core of what Bloom talks about is the relativism that pervades essentially everything in our society and its negative consequences, especially as they apply to college students. I had been (and still am, to be honest) thinking about this a lot, but hadn’t been able to articulate what I was thinking. The book brought up perspectives that spurred interesting thoughts and discussions with my family and friends.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Has an interesting plot (even though it gets a little long in the middle), an array of messages, and manages to be funny throughout the twists and pain.
BAYLEY'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Servants of the Map by Andrea Barrett
A finalist for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize, it’s a collection of short stories that span different eras. There are stories about scientists, travelers, family, and the stories subtly tie together. You will enjoy the characters, and the adventure (in terms of travel, history, and science).
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
Is great for anyone looking to read historical fiction. This book is a tale of about characters Chevalier created related to medieval tapestries with the same name.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Is a graphic novel that became a Broadway musical. It’s a memoir about the author’s relationship with her father, being a lesbian, and her dysfunctional family. The illustrations add an dimension to the story; there is a lot of detail to pay attention to within the illustrations and writing.
TONE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Though I hope most schools still incorporate this into curriculum, the story teaches lessons of tolerance, the importance of not judging a book by its cover, and does so through the eyes of young Scout—a feisty, inquisitive, and independent girl navigating a polarized world.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Is about the American dream, the idea that if you work hard, you can succeed. I love history, so reading about the roaring 20s, and all the period entailed, brought perspective to the disparity between poverty, wealth, ad everything in between. Plus, who doesn’t like a good love story.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Fun, happily-ever-after, and you will fall in love (and hate) the characters. I love ALL Jane Austen.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
About a girl who grew up basically homeless and on the run with her family. Jeanette Walls is an incredible writer, and through her words and implied lessons, her book makes you realize just how lucky you are.
The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
Is a classic book that demonstrates the struggle of young people and all they are capable of.
MINNIE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Room by Emma Donoghue
Is about a teenager who was abducted, sexually abused by her kidnapper, and has a child. The story is told from her 5-year-old son’s perspective, and it’s incredibly powerful.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Though some English classes still read this as part of their curriculum, I think everyone should read this book. It’s one of the first stories I read where female characters weren’t given lines or even a name, and is representative of how women were viewed and treated in that time period. John Steinbeck utilizes common themes seen in everyday life. He wrote Of Mice and Men in 1937, at the tail end of the Great Depression two years before World War II. The book talks about life in California, the American Dream, and the character’s wish to own land in a time of hopelessness and despair. As the reader moves through the book, Steinbeck shows how friendships evolve over time, how people often feel alone, and how only through overcoming their loneliness can they enjoy life.
JACKSON'S RECOMMENDATIONS
1984 by George Orwell
About a dystopian future, but talks about life in a dictator state. Although a fictional story, the reader sees how easily people fall to the scare tactics/leadership of places like Hitler’s Germany and communist Russia.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Is about a boy growing up in the north at a time soon after slavery was abolished, and finding his roots (and his family) in the south. It’s a captivating story due to its narrative style and thought-provoking plot.
ZOE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
About a Washington Post writer who gets diagnosed with a mysterious illness and it’s about her journey as a writer and patient as she goes through the hard life of having an illness that no doctor has seen before. Based on a true story…
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Memoir written by the author about her poverty-stricken upbringing with her siblings in small-town America. Both the author’s parents were borderline crazy, and the kids end up having to figure out life on their own since her parents were incapable of handling anything mature.
NICO'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Tells the story of a young man stranded at sea with a tiger after his family dies during a tumultuous storm. The book addresses identity, religion, free will, perseverance, hope, and the role of friendship.
Paper Planes by John Greene
Is an easy read about the search for a missing girl through detective work conducted by three nerdy teenagers.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Is a story about social stratification/religious oppression and discusses themes of family, societal roles, and coming of age.
RACHEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
It’s about a teenager with Asperger’s who is obsessed with forensics, and when there’s a murder in his hometown the police come to him for help to solve the case—but then realize he might be guilty. I liked it because it was suspenseful, and also taught me about Asperger’s syndrome.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Is about a school shooting in a small town, and the main witness happens to be the judge’s daughter. Like all of Picoult’s books, it’s suspenseful and keeps you reading. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective, which makes it fun to read.
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
The book tells Jaycee’s story of being kidnapped, held for 18 years, having children with her kidnapper, and how she survived this traumatic experience. Though some might find this true story depressing, it showcases perseverance and courage in the toughest of situations.
PRAVEEN'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Is about a dysfunctional family from the Dominican Republic. The book follows them closely in a stream-of-consciousness style, especially the main character, Oscar, and his struggle to find love while being overweight.
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Follows an American Jew going back to his mother’s hometown and trying to piece things together. It’s a quirky, fun read.
LAURA'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
I’ve always been fascinated by world-class performers of every sort, and the book’s about how world-class talent is developed. Coyle dives into specific “pockets” (regions, eras, and instructors) known for producing an abnormally high percent of world-class athletes, artists, and performers. These pockets include Brazil for soccer, Meadowmount for classical music, and Florence for artists.
Paper Towns by John Green
This is a great book that became a movie. The main character, Quentin Jacobsen, is a seventeen-year-old living in an Orlando-area high school. He’s been in love with his childhood best friend, Margo, his entire life. The book follows their adventures together, with lots of twists and turns along the way.
The Goldfinch by Dinna Tartt
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
The Leaving of Things by Jay Antani
(Winner of the 2014 International Book Award for Multicultural Fiction, 2014 Kindle Book Award Winner) Vikram is not your model Indian-American teenager. Rebellious and adrift in late 1980s Wisconsin, he is resentful of his Indian roots and has no clue what he wants from his future—other than to escape his family’s life of endless moving and financial woes. But after a drunken weekend turns disastrous, Vikram’s outraged parents decide to pack up the family and return to India—permanently. So begins a profound journey of self-discovery as Vikram, struggling with loneliness, culture shock, and the chaos of daily Indian life, finds his creativity awakened by a new romance and an old camera. His artistic gifts bring him closer to a place and family he barely knew. But a devastating family crisis challenges Vikram’s sense of his destiny, hurtling him toward a crossroads where he must make the fateful choice between India, the land of his soul, and America, the land of his heart.
ARVIND'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
In high school we’re often told what to think or even have goals imposed upon us by figures of authority. Invisible Man demonstrates the pitfalls of these ideas through its nameless, “invisible” protagonist, a man swept up in the grand schemes of other people.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
An epic tragedy that tells the story of all humanity, using one family’s struggles as an analog. It’s almost like reading the Bible, and you can’t help but feel completely enthralled with the world that Márquez creates.
Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch
Learning about the vast belief systems of the world’s cultures really gives you a sense of just how large the world is.
ANUHYA'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
High schoolers should read the book thief because the writing is thoughtful and detailed, leaving you to think about the meaning of the story after every page. Schools should have the book thief as reading curriculum because kids can really connect with the main characters, and understand how they are feeling in certain situations. I really enjoyed this book because history and fiction were combined to make an entertaining story, even though generally I don’t like reading about history.
ANNA'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Martian by Andy Weir
Is written diary-style so there’s no filter, and it’s all survival based—which is a change from a lot of books.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Will make you feel every emotion at one point or another, and it makes you reflect on what’s really important in life.
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This series is about teenagers who are recruited by the FBI for their intelligence—it’s intense.
ELIZABETH'S RECOMMENDATIONS
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
This novel follows a young boy who has autism and shows the world through his eyes. As the boy deals with family struggles, we get to contrast the way he experiences them with the way people around him experience them. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in psychology, as it is extremely well written and leaves the reader thinking.