Summer Reading 2009

(submitted by Professor Sue Trout): In the Fall, the Sigma Tau Delta/English Club will probably read and talk about Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping and Toni Morrison’s a mercy. They are beautiful books that come highly recommended by Drs. Cox and Curtis! Here are more suggestions from your teachers and fellow book lovers:

Dr. Wells offers Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Henry IV Part One. Those going on the Blackfriars trip in October will see both of these plays.

Dr. Smith says, "Janisse Ray's Ecology of a Cracker Childhood!
Ray's coming for the Humanities symposium in the Fall, and it's a wonderful read."

Dr. Harris: “For fun I love The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry. It's a beautiful book and it's set in Paris. How could you go wrong? Also worth reading: Julia Alvarez's In the Time of the Butterflies & The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.”

Dr. Monteverde says, “Well, one of my favorite books of all time is Precious Bane by Mary Webb. This is the book with a narrative voice I wish I had been able to create. “

Professor Gustke recommends Willa Cather's A Lost Lady.

Dr. Pinter adds, “I absolutely love Three Cups of Tea and think our students would, too. I also like Jodi Picoult's Keeping Faith. There's a stunning book about the west I found by accident last year. It's like a mosaic of fiction, non-fiction (not real non-fiction) and pictures (I think you'd like it): The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins.

Professor Doner reports, “Some suggestions: Little Bee: A Novel by Chris Cleve, Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat (memoir). I read that President Obama is reading Netherland by Joseph O'Neill--it's a new novel still out in hardback--set in New York--I read about it on Amazon--and it looks very interesting--just thought I would toss that into the mix, too.”

Dr. Holt says, “These aren't particularly ‘literary,’ but they are excellent books and great reads: Broken For You, Stephanie Kallos; Love Walked In, Marisa de los Santos; The Virgin of Small Plains, Nancy Pickard.

And Dr. Sisson shares, “Here are three books I’ve enjoyed recently—the first incredibly engaging and endearing; the second profound, sad, and cathartic; the third delightfully funny but also thoughtful: Jonathan Safron Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Professor Tewes recommends this one as well!); Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking; A.J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible.

Dr. Hutchins is recommending a book and a movie: “I'm recommending an Australian author: Tim Winton, The Riders. And since that's actually set in Ireland, I'll send along a film recommendation: everyone should see The Rabbit-Proof Fence.”

Dr. John says, “My pick is A.S. Byatt's Possession. It's a long, sweeping romance - perfect for the beach-reading English major."

And the Trout recommendation is Pat Conroy’s South of Broad—it won’t come out until August, so after you’ve read all of the others, check this out with me. I love reading Conroy—he’s from South Carolina, and his books always begin with great promise. Then there’s a point where he usually jumps the shark—let’s figure out where that might be.