Reading Recs

This YA historical fiction novel tells the shocking story of the young soviet women who flew bombing missions behind German lines during World War II. They were nicknamed "Night Witches" by the Nazis because of their technique to idle their engines over their targets so only the sound of wind could be heard. These brave women faced grueling training and terrifying missions without the support of parachutes. Follow Valka as she signs up with her friends to help her war ravaged country and support her friend Pasha who has been enlisted. Get drawn into increasing danger as the story is told through letters between Valka and Pasha, neither knowing if the other will survive to read their next letter while growing in love for each other. – Stephanie Hallam, Kent Library

Well written, an emotional rollercoaster of experiences during World War II, and a true story, this book tells an unforgettable story! – Judy St. John, Class of '85

Published in 2015, this work has experienced a rebirth of sorts hitting the New York Times Bestsellers List at No. 14 in January 2020. Braiding Sweetgrass is a moving collection of short stories by Potawatomi botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer weaves together science and native lifeways into "a journey that is every bit as mystic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise" writes Elizabeth Gilbert. This book is beautifully written with tender care and reads almost as a salve to the current climate crisis we are experiencing. If you get a chance to hear Dr. Kimmerer read, please do so, her voice only adds to the melodic experience of this work. I highly recommend Braiding Sweetgrass for anyone but especially to those who seek a better understanding of our relationship to the flora around us. – Randyn Heisserer-Miller, Kent Library

If you enjoy thrillers, this novel is for you. This novel follows the story line of three people, with three different perspectives, who are all in the same situation. This novel allows you into the mind of three people while delivering a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. It is a book that you cannot put down. I highly recommend this book to anyone. – Hannah Eddy, Class of '20

It's really simple, to give away love like you're made of it. This book is an easy, fast read that encourages you love your neighbors. Bob Goff is enthusiastic, brave and bold. This book is for dreamers that have compassionate hearts for all types of people. – Emily Sachs, Admissions

Clearly explains the miracle of human progress...the how and why people keep making the world a better place. Helps you remove mental clutter so you can think clearly about the world. I heard Melinda Gates recommended the book so I read it...glad I did. – Sven Svenson, Agriculture

Excellent study of leadership based on the case studies of 5 famous leaders. Koehn does an amazing job of really unpacking this stuff. She is a Harvard Business School historian and examines five masters of crisis: explorer Ernest Shackleton, Abraham Lincoln, abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Nazi-resisting clergyman Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and environmental crusader Rachel Carson. – Tom Holman, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Recreation

Weatherford writes about the forgotten people and territories that enabled capitalism and where the mountains of gold and silver, and so many other riches that created the still prevalent wealth of kings and queens of the XVI century until today, really came from. Perhaps, an attempt to open the mind to a more inclusive and appreciative approach of countries and people wrongfully stereotyped as "third-world" and "underdeveloped" as well as an important account that must be used to restore people's contribution to a system that has paid them quite unfairly. – José Miño Lara, Academic Advising

Richard Hugo is one of America's best poets. He was a student of Theodore Roethke at University of Washington. Hugo's poems are very accessible. By 'accessible' I mean they are written for the everyday man, or woman. Almost anyone can pick up one of his books of poetry and be moved by his words. Sometimes the reader might be moved to sadness, about a place or a relationship. But, just as likely, the reader may find themselves laughing out loud. Besides the title poem "Lady in Kicking Horse Reservoir," this collection also contains a poem that many scholars feel is his best, "Degrees of Gray in Philipsburg." The first three lines go like this: “You might come here Sunday on a whim. Say your life broke down. The last good kiss you had was years ago.” It’s a sad poem, inspired by a real town in Montana. – John Baken, Kent Library

I love a good murder/mystery book and this one was amazing. I read the author's other book The Cheerleaders and she is just an all around great writer who makes you think. This book has so many plot twists that are hard to guess, unless you peak at the end. It's perfect for the YA readers moving to adult readers. – Madison Abanathie, Class of '23

This is a wonderfully written book that I try to read every winter. – Barbara Glackin, Kent Library

My 13 year old son discovered James Patterson's young adult fiction a couple years ago. I've been reading them so we can discuss the stories together. I'm impressed! I love James Patterson's Adult Fiction and love the fact he's transitioned into young adult fiction. He's encouraged so many kids (like my son) to love reading. The Middle School Series is fun and just one of several series Patterson has written for tweens and teens. If you have a kiddo at home strugglng to read you might stike gold with a J.P. book. Happy reading! – Marcy Ball, Academic Advising

In Mythos, we are reminded of the prominence and beauty of storytelling. Stephen Fry takes a handful of some of the most common Greek myths and legends are retells them in a way that paints their historic significances but also in a way that brings comfort and warmth to the most academic scholars. He personifies the monsters and gives modern relation to the goddesses and gods at the time, and you can't help but live in the moment you are reading. – Anya Tonga, Class of '20

Woodson’s novel is a beautifully written contemporary exploration of race, class, death and family. – Nancy Palmeri, Art & Design

Alicia shot her husband at point-blank range and then never speaks another word. A criminal psychotherapist takes the opportunity to treat Alicia and search for the truth: both his and hers. The author does an excellent job of conveying emotion through his writing. Even though Alicia never speaks, you feel as though she is. I couldn't put this book down and the ending was a complete surprise! – Karie Stroder, Academic Advising

The book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my favorite books. I read this book for fun the past month and found myself on the edge of my seat. Throughout this book, you get to see a first-hand account of a teenager who is spiraling in to a deep depression as she tries to grapple with trauma that she has faced. This book will have you wrapped in the story line from the very beginning. – Hannah Eddy, Class of '20

A memoir of a difficult childhood that is ultimately a tale of personal strength and perseverance. David Small relays his experiences of distant parents, multi-generational dysfunction, and personal health trauma with unblinking clarity but also compassion. Poignant ink wash illustrations float from impressionistic to realistic and all points in between as the mood and circumstances warrant. – Karl Suhr, Kent Library

This is the book on which Spielberg's movie, Bridge of Spies, was based. James Donovan served in the OSS during World War 2, and as a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials. When in 1957 Soviet master spy Col.Rudolf Ivanovich Able was arrested in Brooklyn on charges of espionage, James Donovan was assigned to serve as his defense attorney. Strangers on a Bridge documents Abel's arrest, trial, imprisonment, and eventual repatriation in exchange for downed U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers. Drawing heavily from Donovan's records, the book tells the story of his efforts to build the strongest defense possible, and to protect Able from the death penalty in order to have a high-value Soviet asset to trade in the event that a high-value American should fall into Soviet hands. Ultimately the case was appealed to the Supreme Court, which in March of 1960 upheld the conviction. In May of 1960, Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet territory. In 1962, Donovan served as the American negotiator for the prisoner exchange, traveling to Germany to trade Col. Able for Powers. That convoluted process is also documented, making this a fascinating read. – Pat Willingham, Kent Library

A continuation of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, Perry has a new series featuring their son Daniel, a new solicitor. Daniel searches for the truth while defending a British diplomat. The time period is the late Victorian England and Perry includes lots of history and information about the different social classes. – Barbara Glackin, Kent Library

A re-imagining of Harriet Tubman and the Underground RR as told by an enslaved man. – Courtney Kisat, History

This book takes place in a world where men have gone extinct, leaving only women to take over. It's an absolutely hilarious graphic novel with unique social commentary that everyone will love. I'm positively obsessed. – Kendall Trace, Class of '22

College is supposed to be the path to social mobility in the United States, but that doesn't seem to be true any more. There are exceptions, but on average rich students go to elite schools and stay rich, middle class students go to non-elite schools and stay middle class, and poor students don't go to college or drop out with debt. Tough asks why this is happening, looking at everything from standardized testing and test prep to lack of funding to college rankings that reward enrolling rich students, focusing on the real lives of students. The Years That Matter Most strikes to the heart of what isn't working about college in America. – Carl Hess, Kent Library