This is a fantastic, enthralling read that you cannot put down. This New York Times Best Seller story is about a mute boy's relationship with his dog. The description of and development of the characters is phenomenal--the reader yearns and feels for each character and is thoroughly invested in the story.
Recommended by Cara Zimmerman '14
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
I recently read this book in my freshman preceptorial and it one of the my favorite stories. The story revolves around two friends and the women they both love, and what happens to them after a global disaster. I won't give away too much, but its a great page-turner - dark comedy, suspense, and some romance included. The novel is part of a series called the MaddAddam Trilogy, with the sequel Year of the Flood already published (this is also an amazing book), and the third yet to be released.
Recommended by Chetna Prasad '15
The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Alborn
I really love this book, I find it a really interesting and insightful read.
Recommended by Smita Ravichandran '13
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
I loved this book because of the interwoven stories that Steinbeck expertly writes. The character development is phenomenal. Absolutely wonderful.
Recommended by Cara Zimmerman '14
Tess of the D'ubervilles - Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy is my favorite author because of his ability to weave together storylines between multiple finely-nuanced characters. This tragic book exemplifies his talent for making his every-day protagonists timeless.
Recommended by Fatima Hosain '15
Arcadia - Tom Stoppard
This play is oftentimes witty, sometimes sad, but always so incredibly fluid you almost forget you're skipping between different centuries; one of the best plays I've ever read.
Recommended by Fatima Hosain '15
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This book reads like a folktale--there's something magical about Marquez's ability to effortlessly connect multiple storylines and characters; truly an example of amazing writing.
Recommended by Fatima Hosain '15
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
This book has the very simple message of believing in your dreams; if you do, the universe will help you achieve them.
Recommended by Aleena Paul '12
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure - William Goldman
This is an upbeat fiction novel!
Recommended by Neha Perwani '14
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back - Todd Burpo
This book is written by the boy's father, Todd Burpo. This paperback is about Colton, a four year old boy who, while undergoing surgery, enters heaven for three minutes and encounters people such as his miscarried sister, his great grandfather, and Jesus and slowly reveals his experience to his parents while he recovers. This is a shocking and true novel that is so hard to put down.
Recommended by Bernadette Sapienza '15
The Dogs of Babel - Carolyn Parkhurst
This very poignant story very creatively captures the profound angst of a man trying to make sense of his wife’s death through his relationship with his dog. There is a suspenseful subplot that questions the ability of dogs to communicate that I enjoyed because I’m a dog lover.
Recommended by Professor Carol Weisse, Director of Health Professions
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon
This clever story presents a mystery through the eyes of a young boy with Aspergers who thinks very differently about life and issues not only because of his condition but because he is a young boy who has lost his mom and is living with his dad and there is a mystery to be solved. I read this twice and I can only say this about 2 other books! It’s a short, easy read that is definitely worth reading.
Recommended by Professor Carol Weisse, Director of Health Professions
Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
This book explores a fictional conversation between Kublai Khan and Marco Polo as Marco Polo travels the world and encounters different cities. The account of each city is short and the places are used as metaphors for bigger questions and bigger ideas about life and self.