Word of Mouth
What’s your favorite book, and why?
Scroll down to "post a comment" and tell us what you think.
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The one that comes to mind is called “The Snow Leopard.” It’s by Peter Matthiessen. And why I like it? It resonates with all my personal interests. It’s a compelling true story, and it involves a lot that is related to natural history, exploration and spirituality.
Christopher Hollister
Associate Librarian
Arts and Sciences Libraries -
“To Change China: Western Advisers in China,” by Jonathan D. Spence. It details how foreign powers go into a different country and try to change things. And it’s about the American government going into China and trying to change things in China, and how it failed miserably. I think it parallels what is going on in Afghanistan and Iraq today.
Jeffrey Chow
Graduate Assistant, Asian Studies Program
PhD Candidate, Department of Geography -
The collected poems of Elizabeth Bishop. I think it’s probably the case that I like these best because she presents us with local detail and tells us stories, all the while thinking at a high level about deep, philosophical matters. Her poems are enriching and enlivening, and force you not to accept everything you see or are told.
Douglas Basford
Assistant Director of Composition
Department of English -
Maya Angelou's “I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings.” It’s not my only favorite, but it’s one of my favorites because I like the way that she uses the metaphor to explain her life. She gives you good insight and perspective into who she is and how she has come to be a famous poet, author, activist, etc.
Fenice Boyd
Associate Professor/Associate Dean for Teacher Education
Graduate School of Education
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Reader Comments
Ashera Buhite says:
"Last Exit to Brooklyn" by Hubert Selby Junior is definitely a masterpiece. All of his work is pretty dark, which can make it hard to read for some. His use of punctuation is really interesting as well. He doesn't use quotations or separate who is speaking at points, which is very effective. The characters he creates are the overlooked (but all to real) hoi polloi of the urban underbelly. They are a reaction against the sitcom idolatry that dominated the 1950's--the stories are those of the poor and overlooked, who didn't acheive the American Dream.
Posted by Ashera Buhite, Undergraduate, 01/17/10
Elaine Rinfrette says:
The Help. Beautifully written, great character development and a story that needed to be told in a way that will make many people want to read it. The lives of African American domestic workers from their perspective needs to be told and the thought processes and culture of the white families that hired them are revealed in the story. I couldn't put it down. I loved many of the characters and wished they were my friends.
Posted by Elaine Rinfrette, Doctoral candidate, School of Social Work, 01/17/10