Summer is on its way, and many of us find ourselves dreaming in class about all the things we plan to do once school gets out. We look forward to the time when we won’t have to spend our afternoons reading and studying. However, for some of us, summer does not mean a break from reading, but an opportunity to choose whatever we want to read.
I love reading, and can always be seen around campus with my nose in a book. Although some teenagers seem to dislike books, and don’t read for pleasure, many others still share this passion, including our teachers when they were there age. Many SDA staff members loved to read when they were in high school, a habit they continue to have. Some of our teachers shared their favorite books, and some suggestions that have for summer.
“As a child I stayed up late night after night reading ‘Lord of the Rings’,” said teacher English Rob Ross. When asked his favorite book now, he replied, “I’d still have to say “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”.” For students looking for an interesting summer read, he suggests “The Yellow Birds”, a novel about the war in Iraq by Kevin Powers.
In high school English teacher Justin Conn read a lot of philosophy, especially the works of Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th century Danish existentialist. For students he suggests the books of contemporary authors David Sedaris and Dave Eggers.
English teacher Tim Roberts named “Catch-22”, a darkly funny anti-war novel, as one of his favorite books. He suggested” A Visit from the Goon Squad” for summer reading, a humorous collection of intertwined short stories that jumps from the 60s the present to the future, combining rock music with the theme of time.
“Gone With the Wind”, a sweeping historical novel set in the South during the Civil War, is English teacher Blaze Newman’s favorite book. For summer reading she suggests “The Lovely Bones,” by Alice Sebold, “Always Running” by Luis J. Rodriguez, “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers, and “Nickel and Dimed”, an immersion journalism piece by Barbara Ehrenreich. She also suggests the work of P.D. James and Sue Grafton, but overall thinks that time spent reading anything is time well spent. “Read anything!” she said. “Magazines, newspapers, books…”
Donna Gonzales, the lead library technician at SDA, has read a lot of books in her line of work. Two of her current favorite books are “Detroit City is the Place to Be,” a book by Mark Binelli that discussed the city after the 2008 economic collapse, and “We Were Here” by Matt de la Peña. She recommends “No Easy Day” by Matt Bissonnette, a military memoir about the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden, and “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett, a novel centering on the lives of several women in the 60s segregated South. She adds that the Media
Wherever you find yourself this summer, I hope you find something interesting to read, and remember how much fun it can be.