In between academic conferences, family vacations and research projects, Gordon professors love grabbing a good book from their pile and diving into their summer ‘beach’ reading. We asked a few what they might be reading this summer as well as which books they’d recommend, which we’ve listed below. Enjoy!
Irv Levy, professor of chemistry and computer science: “My love of books takes me on a random walk through fact and fiction, classic and modern, near and far. I wish I read faster, but I am a slow reader and it is difficult to decide what to commit to because I never want to stop reading a book once I begin it! I have no idea what it will be yet this summer, but I just recently finished—and loved—Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (I may not want to be a carnie after all, despite my childhood dream). I’d recommend the following for beach reading: classic sci-fis like Stranger In A Strange Land and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress both by Robert Heinlein, and The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.”
Jessica Ventura, assistant professor of kinesiology: “No reading on the beach for me this summer except for my (six month old) son’s first reactions to the sun, sand and surf! But I would recommend Paul Borthwick's new book Western Christians in Global Mission.”
Brian Glenney, associate professor of philosophy: “I love reading the Hornblower series by C.S. Forester on the beach. Horatio is my hero.”
Moises Park, assistant professor of Spanish: “In addition to buying a house and learning to tap dance, I hope to read How the García Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez and This is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz. My recommendation for summer books? The Sound of My Voice by Jo Kadlecek and Distant Star by Roberto Bolaño.”
Dorothy Boorse, professor of biology: “This past weekend I helped my younger son make a cloak so he could be like a character in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan, a set of books we are enjoying together. And I am looking forward to reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.”
Jeff Miller, professor of theatre arts: “I’m reading a book written by a friend who I used to teach with at Bethel College. It’s called The Skeptical Believer, Telling Stories To Your Inner Atheist by Daniel Taylor. There are also lots of plays on my list, too. And I try to read one historical biography each summer but haven't picked it yet.”
Jonathan Gerber, assistant professor of psychology: “I’m not sure it’s ‘beach’ reading per se, but I’ll be reading Joseph Conrad’s Arrow of Gold. And of course, Australian children’s books to my kids.”
Justin Topp, associate professor of biology: “I just read Thomas Nagel's Mind & Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False and it . . . stunk! I'm enjoying Christof Koch’s Consciousness: Confessions of a Romantic Reductionist much more, and looking forward to Terrence Deacon's Incomplete Nature as well.”
Steven Hunt, associate professor of biblical and theological studies: “I really want to re-read Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables this summer, and, if I have to go to the beach, I will probably take Dan Brown's new book The Inferno with me.”
Jennifer Hevelone-Harper, professor of history: “Because my husband and I are taking our three children to Scotland and England this summer, we’ll be reading them excerpts of Adomnam’s Life of St. Columba, who was the founding abbot of Iona (in Scotland). We’ll end our trip with a few days in London and get to watch A Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Globe Theater, so I’m also searching for a child friendly version of that play to bring along.”
David Aiken, professor of philosophy: “I plan to read a recent book that attempts to reconcile the sciences with a theistic worldview: Creator God, Evolving World by Cynthia Crysdale and Neil Ormerod. I'll also probably be reading the latest to detective novels by Deborah Crombie.”
Kent Seibert, professor of business and economics: “I’ve got a big reading list: Strategy Safari: Your Complete Guide Through the Wilds of Strategic Management by H. Mintzberg, B. Ahlstrand & J. Lampel; Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E.R. Richards & B. O’Brian; What is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense by S. Girgis, R.T. Anderson & R.P. George, and Economic Growth: Unleashing the Potential of Human Flourishing by E.S. Noel, S.L.S. Smith & B.G. Webb. This last book is by our own Stephen Smith and Bruce Webb!”
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