For seven years, science librarian and ultimate book-lover Meg Spencer organized a list of reading suggestions from faculty and staff to highlight some good books to read over the summer. The Swarthmore Libraries continue this wonderful tradition in Meg’s memory.
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Eat Up!: Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want by Ruby Tandoh [request it from the public library]
From former Great British Bake Off contestant Ruby Tandoh is a book of essays centered around food--how it nourishes, soothes, and distresses us. Recipes are of course included, but rather than a cookbook, this is an ode to eating and the different ways we can have a relationship with food.
Planning to read:
What Remains?: Life, Death and the Human Art of Undertaking by Rupert Callender
I love almost everything published by Chelsea Green Publishing, and this new release has caught my eye. I've read Caitlin Doughty, Sallie Tisdale, and Mary Roach and imagine this book will be in good company.
Maria Aghazarian
McCabe Library
The Book Of M by Peng Shepherd
You never give much thought about your shadow. It is your perennial twin, your oldest friend, that copies every movement you make. However, after reading this book, I cherish mine now and never want to be without it. This is because The Book of M gives you a world where your shadow is attached to your memories and losing it is an incredibly dangerous phenomenon.
Planning to read:
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Rhonda Alford
Cornell Library
Foster by Claire Keegan
This novella is set in Ireland and told from a child's perspective. The writing is spare but very vivid—I was left with a strong sense of light and shadow and fresh air.
Elaine Allard
Department of Educational Studies
Teaching and Learning Commons
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Don’t let the light and fluffy cover fool you. Bonnie Garmus’ debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, challenges the reader to engage with some disturbing and dark themes including sexual harassment, rape and suicide. It is also hilariously funny and has a dog that talks to the reader so what more could you want.
Planning to read:
From Far Around They Saw Us Burn by Alice Jolly
Jessica Brangiel
McCabe Library
Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon
I've tried to read other Pynchon novels and found them a little too psychedelic for my tastes. But in Mason & Dixon, that postmodern zaniness is rendered in an 18th century prose style and, somehow, it worked for me. Come for the talking dog and robotic duck, stay for the sustained critique of Enlightenment philosophy and settler colonialism.
Planning to read:
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
While I support the backlash against Book Blob cover art, I don't want to miss any excellent novels due to a design trend!
Michelle Crouch
Sponsored Programs
Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Loved it! It's hopeful, whimsical, creative, and incredibly well-written. It makes me feel good about humanity.
Planning to read:
The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin
Vaidehee Durgude
Class of 2025
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
Robinson’s novel sets the definitive high bar for generation-ship science fiction, mixing humanist and hard SF in a perfect balance.
Planning to read:
Christopher Marlowe: Poet & Spy by Park Honan
Gregory Frost
Department of English Literature
The River Why by David James Duncan
This is a relatively undervalued book which, I believe, rivals that of The Old Man and the Sea for its beautiful and powerful depictions of nature and the human spirit.
Planning to read:
This summer I will reread some Dostoyevsky.
Atticus Hempel
Class of 2025
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
Clark takes his readers on a whirlwind adventure through a vibrant, alternate universe Cairo, with stylish characters who are ready for action. If you're a fan of The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and similar adventure stories, you'll be hooked on A Master of Djinn.
Planning to read:
The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei
Rex Hughes
McCabe Library
The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts [request it from the public library]
I loved reading of Annie Wilkin's resilience, her love and care for her animal traveling companions and especially about traveling across the North American continent relying on the hospitality of strangers in small towns in a time before the impacts of the interstate highway system and the emergence of television was understood.
Planning to read:
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
Mary Huissen
McCabe Library
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
It was written by Miyamoto Musashi, a duelist from feudal Japan. In this book, he describes his outlook on life and martial arts. He gives advice on life, learning, and solitude. He also describes some of his sword fighting techniques. Some of them are pretty cool, and he has good advice for introverts.
Planning to Read:
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World by David W. Anthony
This book describes some of the advancements made by proto-indo-european people, who spread through prehistory. Various languages throughout Europe, the Middle East, and India can all be traced back to a common root. It is theorized that the culture group behind this original language is also behind advancements in horse domestication and wheel development.
Lukas Irwin
Class of 2023
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
Equally heart-breaking and heart-healing...a GORGEOUS and captivating story of family and friendship...beginning in the AIDS epidemic in 1985 Chicago and continuing through to today.
Planning to read:
What is the What: the Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, a Novel by Dave Eggers
Suzanne Janczewski
Health Center
Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal
Seems like another one of your dystopian 1984-esque books—but it's not overbearingly on the nose. Beautifully written and warmly human.
Planning to read:
Água Viva by Clarice Lispector
Connie Jiang
Class of 2023
Here I Stand by Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson was way ahead of his time in terms of opposing apartheid in South Africa and supporting the liberation of colonized African countries. His belief in solidarity with all the workers of the world, and in the power of folk music to bring people together across cultures, is really inspiring.
Living for the City: Migration, Education, and the Rise of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California by Donna March [also available as an ebook]
In this detailed history of Oakland's Black Panther Party, Murch makes a clear and well-supported argument that the Great Migration and California policies increasing access to higher education for working-class Black students were major contributing factors in the rise of the West Coast Black Power movement. It also examines the impact of African students in American universities and the impact of WWII on Black employment in the Bay Area.
Planning to read:
Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: 40 Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith by Alethia Jones and Virginia Eubanks
Nia King
Communications
Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting your Family out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature by Steven Rinella [request it from the public library]
It's estimated that the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. This short, easy read explores the benefits of getting kids radically engaged with nature and gives parents and educators practical tips for doing so.
Planning to read:
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas [request it from the public library]
This is a new series by Maas set in Crescent City — "a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and romance."
Dierdre Konar
College Advancement
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
A hauntingly beautiful book about Korean women who have a unique ability to dive without equipment. This novel is set on a small island of Jeju during the Japanese occupation which leads to World War II and the Korean War, which gave me the opportunity to view this period of history from a different perspective.
Planning to read:
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Amanda Licastro
McCabe Library
Creation by Gore Vidal
The novel tells the story of Cyrus Spitama, a fictional Persian diplomat and grandchild of Zoroaster, who travels across the ancient world in search of enlightenment while being the representative of the Achaemenid Empire. He will encounter historical figures such as Buddha, Confucius or Socrates. Although very easy to read, you will find yourself at times reflecting on how you understand your own existence, morality and purpose in life.
Planning to read:
Leo Africanus by Amin Maalouf
Eduardo Martin Macho
Department of Spanish
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
A clever retelling of David Copperfield set in Appalachia in the late 20th century, with an engaging title character and lots of humor and tragedy woven throughout. It focuses on the early days of the opioid crisis in rural America and its impacts on poor communities. I was drawn into the story from the first page and while this is a very long novel, it's worth the read.
Planning to read:
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
I Am Still With You by Emmanuel Iduma
Amy McColl
McCabe Library
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
One of the most moving comics I’ve read. Beaton is a master of her craft and she tells her story with so much tenderness.
Planning to Read:
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky
Though I read War and Peace years ago, it was the Constance Garnett translation and I, like many, found it pretty dry. After a chat with my mom and a puzzling movie watching experience, I’ve decided to try for a reread with a newer (and lauded) translation.
Rebecca Michelson
McCabe Library
What is the What: the Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, a Novel by Dave Eggers
This isn't a new book; it's about the Lost Boys of Sudan -- so it belongs to conflict over two decades ago. But with the current situation in Sudan, it is a reminder of what harm American interests can do globally, to everyone, but, especially to children. It is a story that can fill the reader with compassion (beautifully written; tangible characters) and, if you're like me, hope: some actions can help -- we just need to take them.
Planning to read:
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Donna Jo Napoli
Department of Linguistics
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
It truly lives up to its name as being the best war novel of all time. The author places the reader into the mindset of the soldier at war, allowing us to understand how youth, dreams and life are lost in the midst of battle.
Planning to read:
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake [request it from the public library]
Kayla Nicholas
Class of 2026
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
This book has it all: a sci-fi/dystopian setting, great social commentary, characters who pull you in, and a fantastic story. If you want something that will pull you in and keep you guessing, this is it! In a future where jumping between parallel worlds is possible—as long as your counterpart is dead in those other worlds—Cara is hired specifically because there are so few of her counterparts left. Cara is just trying to deal with her past and figure out where she belongs when a mystery surrounding one of her counterpart's death sends everything spiralling. This book is too good to put down!
Planning to read:
About Us: Essays from the Disability Series of the New York Times edited by Peter Catapano and Rosemarie Garland-Thomson
Kristen Recine
Department of Physics and Astronomy
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, #1 in The Scholomance series
An excellent coming of age story set in a brutal school for magic capable children. No punches pulled as the main character works against what everyone else assumes is their future.
Planning to read:
No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne [request it from the public library]
Aaron Smith
ITS
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
Ed Yong is one of the best science writers around—he is able to explain the biology with high fidelity but also provide a broader context and a gripping narrative. The introduction is a great example—he provides a thought experiment with various animals all in one room (human, elephant, spider, snake, mouse, cat, etc.) and then describes in vivid detail how each animal senses the environment in ways that are completely alien from each other. Each chapter explores a different mode of sensory, provides many examples from the mundane to the magical, and then explains the science behind each one.
Planning to read:
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson [also available as an ebook]
I really enjoyed reading The Warmth of Other Suns [also available as an ebook] so I have high expectations for Caste.
Ameet Soni
Department of Computer Science
Provost's Office
The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka
I selected it as a part of my directed reading with Prof. Jake Grossman for a directed reading on permaculture and food systems of immigrants from Myanmar. "One Straw Revolution" is a short read that provides both a critique and alternative to industrial farming which aligns with listening to and learning from nature.
Planning to read:
From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey by Pascal Khoo Thwe
I'm trying to read more books for/by Burmese authors, but they're extremely hard to come by.
Chris Stone
Class of 2023
In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power [request it from the public library]
It's a delightful (and somewhat intense) fantasy novel with absolutely gorgeous worldbuilding. I found that Power struck a great balance by not inserting overwhelming plot twists while keeping the story always moving and unfolding in unexpected directions.
The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove [request it from the public library]
It's one of the most creative historical speculative fiction premises I've seen. Without spoiling too much, I would highly recommend it!
Planning to read:
I'm looking forward to reading as much Jane Austen as I can get my hands on!
Elsa Toland
Class of 2025
Transforming the 20th Century: Technical Innovations and their Consequences by Vaclav Smil
I recommend any book by Vaclav Smil to anyone who wants to be an aware agent in this world. Smil digestibly presents the intricacies of our modern world in a way that instills one with gratitude and inspiration to do better.
Like Streams to the Ocean: Notes on Ego, Love, and the Things that Make Us Who We Are by Jedidiah Jenkins
This book came at the right time and place for me. Lovely essays and beautiful metaphors, a lens to view life with a little more love and forgiveness.
Lindsey Turner
Class of 2025
Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald [also available as an e-book]
A detailed musical, historical, and cultural examination of every song recorded by the Beatles.
Planning to read:
The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Posnanski [request it from the public library]
This has been on my to-read list for the last couple of years; hoping to finally get to it this year.
Steve Wang
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Educated by Tara Westover [also available as an ebook]
Highly recommended.
Planning to read:
Grocery Story by Jon Steinman [also available as an ebook and audiobook]
To learn more about food cooperatives.
Rachel Warren
Scott Arboretum
The Persuaders: At the Frontlines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy by Anand Giridharadas
I just love this book! Such a thoughtful look at how we can persuade each other as human being to care about each other as human beings by doing as much listening as speaking.
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
A powerful antidote to the game of Misery Poker (or the “You think you’ve got a lot to do, I’ve got more to do than everyone else") that can often grip us at Swarthmore and places like us.
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by BreneĢ Brown
Such a great book to understand the architecture of many of our feelings and reactions to relationships rather than wondering why we continue to react the way we do in ways that often feel out of our control.
Planning to read:
How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith [also available as an audiobook]
A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
Sarah Willie-LeBreton
Provost's Office
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama [request it from the public library]
I loved how real and tough the protagonists were, and cried at the ending.
Planning to read:
Mafia Queens of Mumbai by Hussain S. Zaidi with Jane Borges
Yang Windhorse
Class of 2023
A Laodicean by Thomas Hardy
This second-tier Hardy novel is an engaging melodramatic story of a love triangle that consists of a railroad builder's daughter (appropriately named Miss Powers), a military suitor from an old family, and a young architect. As Hardy started his career as an architect, the novel provides a wonderful depiction of mid-19th century architectural education and the architect as master-builder. Miss Power's vacillating affections raises larger themes of the values embodied in contemporary engineering marvels changing Britain's landscape versus the values given form in medieval and classical revival settings that Britain's old families have always built.
Planning to read:
The Choreography of Everyday Life by Annie-B Parson
A choreographer translates the elements of dance into her everyday life. My hope this book will inspire added spring in my step.
Roderick Wolfson
Facilities and Capital Planning
