Books Everyone Should Read (According to the EduCred Services Team)
I could, and frequently do, wax eloquent about how literature is a critical piece of what it means to be a human being—and how, within it, self-awareness and storytelling come together to give life greater meaning. My friends and family love this about me (read: they do not). Luckily, working in education means that we get to meet a lot of other people who revere the written word. Isn’t most of Higher Ed made up of word nerds? That being said, the other hallmark of most people we work with in Higher Ed is that they are busy. When we were students, it was our duty to read. But now, as proper adults, quiet time is harder to come by and our attention is rarely undivided. This makes choosing a book very difficult. Luckily, I work with two incredibly intelligent people who also happen to be pretty cool. I asked them to share some of their must-reads. If you’re like me and love to read but struggle to find the most literary bang for your time buck, give this list a shot:
Emily’s Recommendations:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
When I was in high school, my mom read an article that claimed that reading “Frankenstein” was one of the best ways to prepare for the SATs. Thus, a copy of Mary Shelley’s best known work appeared in my room one day. The promise of a challenging vocabulary was not enough to sell a teenager on reading a 120+ year-old novel, but being at home sick (and bored out of my mind) for a week was. This book is dope. Technological/scientific discoveries and the resulting ethical quandaries, consciousness and conscience, identity and ‘otherness’, ambition and personal responsibility—these themes are almost more important now than when this book was published. For me, this book strikes the perfect balance of being both (read in a stuffy British accent) ~important literature~ and actually exciting to read. I can’t say with any great confidence whether this book will improve your vocabulary, but I can confirm that reading it will officially qualify you to obnoxiously correct people at Halloween parties when they refer to Victor Frankenstein’s Monster as “Frankenstein.” And isn’t that what life is all about?
Consider the Lobster and Other Essays by David Foster Wallace
I think it’s pretty much commonly accepted at this point that David Foster Wallace was a genius. I mean, many claim that Infinite Jest is among the greatest novels ever written. But, I won’t lie to you, at over 1000 pages, Infinite Jest is a big ask. So, allow me to suggest this equally engaging book of essays, instead. The contents cover a teasingly diverse range of topics, including: whether or not the titular lobster can feel pain, some brutally honest book reviews, John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign, an account of the September 11th attacks, and more. Each piece is brutally funny, meticulously researched, and, just, so well-written. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll think.
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
To quote MTV’s early 2000s show Diary, “You think you know, but you have no idea.” This is how I felt when I finally read Jurassic Park. I know you think you know the story because you’ve seen Jurassic Park. And, yes, parts of it are the same (e.g., there are dinosaurs), but so much of what makes this book excellent was lost in its translation to film.[1] The characters and their motives are complex, there’s much more background given to the scientific discovery, and pretty much any plot hole you can find in the movie does not exist in the book. Crichton’s plot is watertight. This story, like Frankenstein, is one that tricks you into philosophical thought, but the story and characters are so exciting and compelling, you’re not even mad about it. I think a lot of times, especially in academia, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on highbrow literature and film—as though a work is more valuable just because it’s complicated, boring, and requires discipline to get through—I know I’m guilty of this thought. But, just because a novel is exciting and has sci-fi/adventure elements, doesn’t mean it isn’t also ~literature~ (again, please read in stuffy British accent). So, read this book. It’s exciting and might make you even smarter.
Andy’s Recommendations:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
This might be an obvious choice, but is also an inevitable choice. I was already a reader, but when this came out it made me a fan of a world of characters in a way that I had never before or since. [Side note: I love the Lord of the Rings movies, but have no interest in three pages about the scenery in Hobbiton. Have never been able to force myself to finish a single Tolkien work.] I was lucky enough to be the exact age of Harry and his classmates as each book came out, but I am certain the magic will translate without this added bonus. Why read it? Because it will either transport you into a world that is a joy to be in or will give you a window into the worldwide phenomenon that you perhaps have been avoiding on too-cool-for-school grounds. Also, this series now provides an excellent opportunity for reflection and critical thinking as the author has recently come under fire for post-Potter-publication comments, leading to calls for their ban. If you don’t want to read for whimsy, perhaps read this book with this in mind: The book is a lodestar worldwide, and one of the most lucrative franchises out there, and yet has been widely condemned by the Christian right and LGBTQ communities at different points in its history. Some things can be lots of things, and its worth trying to wrap one’s arms around all of it, rather than settling for someone else’s opinion.
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis
This book leads out as overtly political (it centers on the 2016 presidential transition process), but I found it to an eye-opening view into what federal agencies actually do. For example, did you know that a significant portion (46% in 2023) of the Department of Energy’s budget is focused on nuclear nonproliferation? This book included many such anecdotal examples that reshaped my appreciation for the mundane, but crucial work that government agencies do, and how callously this can be disregarded when politically expedient. I came away from this book with this: it is important for all of us to have an appreciation for the nuts and bolts of our government. We must have enough understanding to hold politicians accountable if/when they use federal agencies as political footballs instead of doing their jobs and actually appointing passionate experts to manage the inner workings of our society. Also, it’s by the guy who wrote Moneyball and The Big Short, so even if you don’t agree with every point in the book, it’ll make you think and you won’t be able to deny that it is well written!
Susan’s Recommendations:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
This book came out in 2022 and continues to win over readers everywhere. If it were not for a friend recommending this book to me, I do not know that I would have ever considered reading it. I tend to gravitate more towards biographies or business leadership titles, but if you can set aside any preconceived ideas, this book covers persistent societal failures that make you think it was set in 2023 instead of 1950. This book explores, at times with well-placed humor, the life of an unapologetic and practical woman, Elizabeth Zott, who just happens to be passionate about science in a time when most people believed that women should aspire to no more than being an average housewife or secretary. She never asks for special treatment, only equal recognition and opportunity, but instead she navigates rejection, lies, mistreatment, harassment, and abuse that is relatable to everyone. She struggles to accept a reality where her talents and contributions hold less value. Although this is a quick read, the book dives into thought-provoking and controversial topics that draws the reader in and evokes emotional responses.
Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright
We’ve all heard that history repeats itself and while the broad sentiments of that statement may be true, a more accurate saying is that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. While the topic may be a bit heavy for a summer beach read, it is no less relevant and fascinating. We tell children that history is important because we want to avoid the mistakes of the past, but what happens when the evening news begins to sound reminiscent of behaviors, decisions, or circumstances that we told ourselves would never happen again because we would never forget. This book reminds us of the million seemingly inconsequential circumstances and low stakes decisions that resulted in catastrophic consequences. Having grown up in Germany, the poignancy of World War II was integrated into the curriculum and watching the Berlin Wall fall was momentous. Albright pulls together these historical events to draw important parallels that should leave us all questioning what we hear on the news and in social media a little more.
The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard by John Birdsall
We never want to leave you feeling overwhelmed but feeling full of culinary delights is always welcome. Just like higher education institutions seek accreditation to communicate quality, restaurants seek the coveted honors of Michelin Stars, Zagat ratings, and James Beard Awards. This comprehensive biography focuses on the life of James Beard and the people, culture, and geography that shaped his deep love of food. Beard is known as the “Dean of American Cookery” and his passion for putting American culinary tradition on the global map. He created his own melting pot throughout the culinary world by opening the doors slammed in his face through his charismatic personality. The careful descriptions invite the reader to imagine the long-ago time when America was still creating its identity and carving a place for itself through a past-time that unites us all. If it does nothing else—it will leave you inspired to make a reservation at this year’s Best New Restaurant, Kann in Portland where “Haitian cuisine meets Pacific Northwest bounty” and epitomizes the very melting pot that is James Beard’s legacy.
Hopefully this list has inspired you to visit your local library, independent bookstore, big box store, or wherever you get your books (I’m not judging). If you take away just one thing from this blog, I hope it’s the reminder that reading can be fun, exciting, transformative, thought-provoking, polarizing and all those things at once. Just because you’re an adult (or a child with a very impressive attention span, if you’re reading this blog), doesn’t mean your imagination and brain are done growing.
What book(s) do you think we (and everyone) should read?
[1] I am not throwing shade; I love the first Jurassic Park movie. It is its own masterclass in filmmaking, but we’re talking about books here.
