What's Hot for Summer Reading

What’s Hot for Summer Reading

Want some good ideas for summer reading? Utah State Today peered over the shoulders of President Kermit L. Hall and others this summer to see what they're reading. And we’d like to know what your favorite books are, as well.

President Hall tries to read a book every other week. His summer reading list includes Leonard Thompson's A History of South Africa, Rian Malan's My Traitor's Heart, Robert Dahl's How Democratic is the American Constitution? and Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, a much-talked-about book about fast food industry practices.

"Since I have been traveling a good deal, I have actually been able to read more," President Hall said. "Airplanes, as it turns out, make great reading rooms, especially if you are willing to pay attention to who is reading what." 

That's how President Hall came across Richard Florida's book, The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life. Florida defines the creative class as those whose economic function is to create new ideas, new technology and new creative content. The book examines how and why we value creativity more highly than ever and cultivate it more intensely. "It's a book every college president should read," said Hall.

Provost Stan Albrecht plans to read My Losing Season by Pat Conroy. "Conroy has always been one of my favorite authors," he said. "I particularly likedPrince of Tides, Beach Music, and The Great Santini. This biographical piece details his successes and failures as a point guard on basketball team at The Citadel."

Albrecht just finished Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Side, a moving account of the rescue of American and British survivors of the Bataan Death March in WW II, and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Other books to read include Good Faith by Jane Smiley, who wrote the hilarious land-grant university tale, Moo, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Thousand Acres. He has included The Rise of the Creative Class at the recommendation of Hall, and Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, because "everyone I know is reading and talking about this book." Albrecht catches time to read in airports or on airplanes, but also tries to read some "non-university related stuff" in the evenings before bed.

Vice President for Information Technology Barbara White hopes to spend time reading both professionally and for fun. "I love mysteries, especially ones by John Grisham and Patricia Cornwall."

In terms of professional reading, she’ll be readingReframing Organizations by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal, Leading Change: Overcoming the Ideology of Comfort and the Tyranny of Customby James O-Toole and It's Not Luck by Eliyahu M. Goldratt.

Vice President Fred Hunsaker just finished readingJohn Adams by David McCullough, and To America by Stephen E. Ambrose. He's also reading Abigail Adamsby Phyllis Lee Levin, and Life Strategies by Phillip C. McGraw, at the recommendation of his wife, Sharon.

"For someone following the current stock market craziness, Ron Insana's Trend Watching is a good antidote," said Hunsaker. He thinks his best read this summer will be Truman, by David McCullough. Hunsaker catches up on reading late nights at home.

How about you? What are your favorite books for the summer? Where do you most like to curl up with a book? Send us your picks at usutoday@cc.usu.eduand we'll share them with other readers in a future issue of Utah State Today if space allows.

Writer: Nadene Steinhoff (435) 797-131429 [nadene.steinhoff@usu.edu]