An Ambitious Summer Reading List
Whatcha reading this summer? Or, when you’re hanging out, at lunch, engaged in cocktail chatter, or trying to keep others interested in you, what will you say you’ll read this summer? Here’s my analysis of themes for a proposed summer reading list:
And, here’s my big, ambitious summer reading list (with one movie thrown in for fun):
What are you reading? Given my themes, what else should I put on the list?
Happy reading and peace.
4 comments
I think you should add some philosophy to your list.
Much of it (as I’m sure you know) is rather dense material (philosophers tend to write for philosophers), but the ideas in the classic works provide incredible insight into some of the biggest questions facing society, ethics, the human condition, and interpretations of reality (among an infinite number of other subjects).
Right now, I’m reading George Berkeley’s Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues. His work helped provide the foundation for idealism, which is basically the theory that reality is what exists in our minds (as opposed to realism, which posits there is an ultimate physical reality).
That’s pretty ambitious – 24 books… are you using a Kindle yet?
Interesting.
Glad I stumbled upon this… some good books I’d love to check out. Also, the comments too (pity there are only two thus far). I’m a Berklee student, and it’s often difficult to get out of the music world – though I see you allocated a significant section to Jazz (!)
Perhaps to keep it contemporary… a section for online blogs/tweets/ramblings? I’m sure many would frown at the idea of calling this ‘reading’… but it’s amazing how much one can discover by interacting in the online world.
( @mattrodmusic )
Love the choices and that you actually believe BU students are intelligent enough to read “real” books. Bravo! I offer for your consideration a book about moral choices. College is a time to solidify a moral code of conduct and make those seemingly simple choices that rely on a moral stance such as drinking, drugs, sex, plagiarism, even cutting classes. These seemingly clear choices, are often not so clear. I offer “The Sunflower,” by Simon Wiesenthal. It is about a moral choice he made during the Holoccaust and how it haunted him for his entire lire The first half of the book is his sotry and the second half is comments on his decision by many people including the Dalai Lama, Primo Levi, Desmond Tutu, Albert Speer, Dith Pran, and about 50 more. A brilliant book about moral ambiguity which we must all deal with as adults.
Thanks for listening and Again, great list!!