Fairfield University community recommends a list of books not to miss | Press Releases

Image: In Defense of Food Fairfield University's summer reading list has something for everybody.

The recommended books include a plea for eating "real food, the kind your grandmother would recognize," and a call-to-arms from a Nobel Prize-winning economist. One suggestion brings climate change close to home by looking at it through Vermont's Green Mountains. Several novels exploring racism made the list. One recommendation is a must for parents. They are in stock or can be special ordered at the Fairfield University Bookstore.

Following, in no particular order, is a list of recommended books by members of the Fairfield University community.

Christine Siegel, Ph.D., associate dean of the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions : For parents, she recommends the book " Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with his Wordless Daughter," by Robert Rummel-Hudson. "It's an honest, funny and heart-wrenching portrayal of the joys and struggles of parenting a child with a rare disability. All parents will find something to connect to in this book," she said.

Michael Tucker, D.B.A., professor of Finance, Dolan School of Business , recommends the recently published " End this Depression Now! " by Paul Krugman, in which the Princeton University professor argues in this "powerful volley" that a quick, strong recovery is just one step away, if our leaders can find the "intellectual clarity and political will" to end this depression now.

Michael White, Ph.D., professor of English and director of the MFA in Creative Writing Program, College of Arts & Sciences, recommends "Mudbound" by Hillary Jordon, who did a reading at Fairfield a couple of years ago. The novel is about racism in the Deep South after World War II. According to Dr. White, what's remarkable about the story are the many points of view from which the novel is told.

Jacalyn Kremer, outreach librarian, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, found "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto," by Michael Pollan hard to put down. It's a follow-up to his book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," which launched a national conversation about the American way of eating. Pollan wrote this book "because most of what we're consuming today is not food, and how we're consuming it - in the car, in front of the TV, and increasingly alone - is not really eating."

Martha Milcarek, assistant vice president of Brand Management and Public Relations , chooses
"The Art Thief: A Novel," by Noah Charney. As the founding director of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art, Charney's work in the field of art crime has been praised in such international forums as The New York Times Magazine, Time Magazine , BBC, and National Public Radio. He'll deliver an Open VISIONS Forum lecture at Fairfield March 24.

Emily Smith, Ph.D., chair, Department of Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation, Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, recommends "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Sherman Alexie. Fitting for high school students, this National Book Award winner deals with the hardships of growing up on a reservation and being the only Native American in an all-white school. Touching and hilarious, said Dr. Smith.

Jennifer L. Klug, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, College of Arts & Sciences , suggests " Early Spring ," by Amy Seidl with a forward by Bill McKibben.

This is a book written by an ecologist documenting the changes the author and her two young children observe in the natural world near their Vermont home. "It is very well-referenced and includes a lot of observations from people that have lived in the area for many years," said. Dr. Klug. "I use part of this book in my 'Freshwater Ecology' course."

Diana Hulse, Ph.D., chair, Department of Counselor Education, Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, is a great fan of Irvin Yalom's "The Schopenhauer Cure." It is a rich story of a therapy group and the search for meaning. Dr. Hulse observes Yalom is a fabulous writer who brings his knowledge of philosophy, psychiatry, and literature together in this beautiful novel.

Theresa T. Quell, Ph.D., RN '79, assistant dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Program Management, School of Nursing , recommends as a great summer read, " Gone With The Wind ," by Margaret Mitchell. Dr. Quell said this historical epic is her favorite, a Pulitzer Prize-winning work many critics call the best novel to ever come out of the South.

David Downie, Ph.D., director of the Program on the Environment and associate professor of politics, College of Arts & Sciences, recommends " The Roads from Rio: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Multilateral Environmental Negotiations," by Pamela Chasek and Lynn M. Wagner. The authors use their first-hand knowledge as writers for the International Institute for Sustainable Development's Earth Negotiations Bulletin as they illustrate the changes that have taken place over the past twenty years since the Rio Earth Summit.

Dr. Douglas Lyon, professor of computer engineering, School of Engineering , recommends, "One Up On Wall Street," by Peter Lynch and John Rothchild. Famed money manager Lynch, who once delivered Fairfield's Charles F. Dolan Lecture, expounds in this bestseller on his belief that the average investor, by doing his homework, can pick just a hot a stock as a Wall Street pro.