Reading Recs

Dr. Mozes, faculty advisor: The great book that the English Department doesn't teach in 11th Grade English/American Lit., is Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. It's an amazing example of a book about class at the turn of the 20th Century. The characters are unforgettable, as are many of the scenes. It's not happy-go-lucky, so be aware. It's also long (which is one reason we can't get to it). For me, a real story like this is more harrowingly scary than the most monstrous zombie novel. Read it if you dare.

Aruna Das, classics editor: The eponymous character of P. G. Wodehouse's Leave it to Psmith (the "p" is silent as in "pshrimp") is looking for work. He could "Take the Dog for a Run" or "Assassinate Your Aunt." Really, he's open to anything "Provided It Has Nothing To Do With Fish." What follows is an amusing and intricate caper; at the end of it, I was delighted to find my mind as empty as it was before.

Elizabeth Louie, fantasy/sci-fi editor: Skyward, by Brandon Sanderson, was gifted to me a few years ago. The beginning was slow-so slow it took me years of picking it up and putting it down to get past the first 100 pages. But once I did, I couldn't stop reading about its intergalactic warfare and the plucky pilot determined to fight her way out.

Lucy Meola, Historical Fiction Editor: Disappearing Earth, by Julia Philips, is a stunning and melancholy novel that fascinated me with its detailed descriptions of the Kamchatka Peninsula: a remote northwest region of Russia that I had known nothing about before picking up the book. I was struck by the intimate insight the reader gets into each character and the way Philips weaves numerous storylines together to paint a complete picture of life in the community she focuses on.

Claire Reisberg, realistic fiction editor: If you've ever seen a tree, then I have the perfect book for you. The Overstory by Richard Powers tells the story of nine utterly unique characters and the one thing that connects them all (and the world): trees. It's a bit long but once I started it I could not "leaf" it alone, even for a rest (get it, "forest").