Searching for a good read this summer? Look no further! Here’s a list of books recommended by Adrian College faculty and staff. There’s a bit of everything—from science to science fiction, from classics to recent releases. (And even if you don’t pick any of them up, it’s interesting to see some of what these people are reading!)

Cindy Bily, English
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
When terrorists in a South American country kidnap several important people—including opera singer Roxanne Coss—a deadly situation begins to transform into something beautiful. Award-winning novel.

Comment: “This is uplifting and depressing at the same time. If people can find ways to appreciate art and each other under the terrible circumstances of a political hostage-taking, they can find it anywhere!”

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich
Barbara Ehrenreich tries to eke out a living on low-wage jobs for a year, to see what it’s really like.

Comment: “This is a very readable and sometimes humorous nonfiction book about what it means to be an hourly wage earner in the new economy. Barbara Ehrenreich leaves her Ph.D. at home and goes to work for a restaurant, a nursing home, Merry Maids and Wal-Mart, and finds that there’s a reason they call it the Working Class.”

Beatrice Mulala, foreign languages (French)
Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones, by Quincy Jones
In his own words, the life of the musician, composer, producer, arranger, and pioneering entrepreneur, starting with his humble beginnings on Chicago’s South Side.

Comment: “The way he rose from nothing to become so accomplished—it really grabbed me. I saw him interviewed on PBS, and then I read the book.”

Bill Bachman, accountancy/business administration
The Leadership Engine, by Noel Tichy
How winning companies build leaders at every level.

Comment: “It’s the best book I’ve ever read on transformational leadership—the kind that sets vision, and gets everyone to come on board.”

Pi Benio, art & design
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
A 14-year-old girl who has died and gone to heaven watches as her family learns to cope with her absence, and eventually begins to heal.

Comment: “I read it in less than a day. It’s a book about grieving and letting go. Everyone has to deal with that at some point.”

Peter Boudreau, mathematics
The Day the Universe Changed, by James Burke
How Galileo’s telescope changed the truth—and other events in history that dramatically altered our understanding of the world.

Comment: “If you’re interested in the universe, I’d recommend it.”

A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
Bryson’s humorous account of walking the Appalachian Trail with his unlikely walking partner, Stephen Katz.

Comment: “That’s a good book—especially if you like hiking.”

Maher Mualla, chemistry
Naturally Dangerous: Surprising Facts About Food, Health, and the Environment, by James P. Collman
Explains the science behind many of the issues in our world today: organic produce, irradiated foods, fat substitutes, natural herbs, cancer, DNA testing, pheromones, and more.

Comment: “Because I teach environmental chemistry, people are always asking me if synthetic foods are bad. So when I found this book, I made the library buy it!”

Judith Hammerle, psychology
Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World, by Greg Critser
A critical analysis of the many social and economic factors that make weight such a serious issue in America today.

Comment: “It’s an eye-opening look at why well over 50 percent of the people in this country are obese, and what to do about it.”

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Set in a small Southern town, this classic tale is about growing up, and learning to treat people right—even when it hurts. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

Comment: “You can read it with little kids, from, say, fourth grade on up, and it gives them a great look at social justice.”

Jim Martin, biology
Candide, by Voltaire
A satire of the belief that the world is “the best of all possible worlds,” by one of the defining writers of the Enlightenment.

Comment: “I think it’s a very entertaining book, loaded with insight.”

Don Kleinsmith, English/Business
God, Country, Notre Dame: The Autobiography of Theodore M. Hesburgh, by Theodore Hesburgh and Jerry Reedy (contributor)
Chronicles Father Hesburgh’s work as a priest, university president, and a public servant in politics and government.

Comment: “This is what I’ll be reading this summer. Pat Kilbane ’02, who is at Notre Dame Law School, gave me a copy signed by the author. It looks like a book that really brings out the strong tradition at Notre Dame, as well as this man’s love for God and country.”

Scott Behrens, teacher education
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas S. Kuhn
An in-depth look at the nature of science and the paths it has taken to evolve to where it is today.
.
Comment: “Nothing like challenging oneself over the summer—this one should beat you up. I think it’s a great book that can be read across fields on how worldviews change and prevailing theories emerge.”

Keith McCleary, chemistry
The Ingredients: A Guided Tour of the Elements, by Philip Ball
A fascinating look at the building blocks of matter, from our earliest understanding of the elements, to some of the peculiar characters of the Periodic Table.

Comment: “It’s a short, really engaging history on the study of chemistry and the elements of the periodic table.”

College Rules! How to Study, Survive and Succeed in College, by Sherrie Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh
Covers all the basics for making the most of college, including dealing with stress, studying smarter instead of harder, staying motivated, getting ready for exams, and balancing work with play.

Comment: “I have a 16-year-old nephew who will be a senior in high school next year. This is a great book for students going to school, and for parents sending them away for the first time.”

Richard Geyer, librarian
Jack the Ripper: First American Serial Killer, by Stewart Evans and Paul Gainey
Presents evidence that famed serial killer Jack the Ripper was an American named Frances Tumblety.

Comment: “The first half of the book provides an overview of the Ripper murders, while the second half profiles Tumblety. Tumblety was a real maniac, possessed substantial medical knowledge, and there is some interesting physical evidence—namely, two rings—that may link him to the crimes.  A great read for whodunnit fans and history buffs.”

Fritz Detwiler, religion/philosophy
Missionary Conquest: The Gospel and Native American Cultural Genocide, by George Tinker
Discusses how four prominent Christian missionaries mixed gospel values with European cultural values, often with devastating results.

Comment: “It’s an eye-opening perspective on the assumptions behind our treatment of the American Indian, from the 18th century through the 20th century.”

Janet Salzwedel, biology
Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond
A look at how factors such as the environment and geography helped to shape the human race. Pulitzer Prize winner.

Comment: “It brought out some new issues that I had not been thinking of, and it’s very well-written and easy to understand. And it concerns topics that interest me personally, like the spread of disease and agriculture.”

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis
The classic seven-book series about four children who journey into a magical world.

Comment: “That was my favorite last summer—I read them all.”

Stanley Caine, president
Seabiscuit: An American Legend, by Laura Hillenbrand
The story of how a crooked little race horse became the biggest news in America—and the three men who helped make it happen.

Comment: “It’s a compelling story, and it tells you a lot about the life and times of the late 1930s.”